Saving Penguins (Research Paper)

In the South Pole, there is the cutest and the poorest animal which has black and white colors and which cannot fly, even though it has two wings. Also, it cannot walk in the normal way, so its walk looks like that of a toddler. Its name is penguin. Penguin is an animal which is adapted for water. According to Defenders of Wildlife, “Penguins can spend up to 75% of their lives in the water. They do all of their hunting in the water” (n.d., para. 7). Also, they inhabit some areas in the Southern Hemisphere, from tropical areas to Antarctica. In addition, some larger species of penguins can live in the cold weather, but other smaller penguins live in the warm areas (Defenders of Wildlife, n.d.). Their appearances are so cute that people love them. In addition, people like their walking because it is like toddling. However, they have suffered from a serious problem called global warming, which is making the temperature of earth increase steadily. Today, many people have recognized that penguins have been endangered and threatened in the world for a long time. There were already over half of all penguin species on the threatened or endangered lists 6 years ago (Yoon, 2001). Because of the global warming, their habitats are disappearing constantly. According to Yoon’s article, “…warming seas and a decline in sea ice were linked to a 50 percent drop in numbers in a well-studied population of emperor penguins over the last 50 years” (2001, para. 22). They are losing their habitats and abilities to survive for themselves because of global warming. If people will not care for them more carefully, we will lose them, also.

For saving endangered penguins, people should stop using their own private cars and equip some filter equipments to reduce emission of carbon dioxide, establish the World Penguin Association for only penguins endangered by global warming or hunting, and temporarily make an artificial place for penguins to live with appropriate temperature until global warming disappears.

First of all, people should equip the filter equipment to their own private cars for reducing emission of carbon dioxide. Today, many people have their own private cars and supply their cars with gasoline once or twice every week. However, when the fossil fuel such as gasoline is burned, an amount of the carbon dioxide, one of greenhouse gases, is emitted to the air. According to Earthguide, “Today the amount of carbon dumped globally into the atmosphere corresponds, on average, to one ton per person on the planet, each year. In the United States, carbon-based energy is especially important. The average American per capita emission is 5 tons of carbon annually” (n.d., para. 4). Because of the amount of emission of carbon dioxide, the temperature of the world is increasing annually so that the number of penguins is decreasing. For this reason, it should be required to equip the filter equipment, which can purify carbon dioxide, in all cars for saving endangered penguins. In Lee-Chua’s article, “10 Ways to fight global warming,” the author said, “Reduce driving miles. Walk, bike, carpool or take public transport. Avoid commuting in rush hour to lessen traffic time and fuel burned” (2007, para. 22). Because it is impossible to stop using cars, people should reduce their own private cars and equip the filter systems as much as they can until new energy resources, which are not harmful to the environment, are discovered.

Second, people should establish a World Penguin Association for only penguins which suffered from global warming and hunting. There are already many associations for endangered animals in the world, such as World Wild Life (WWF). They have helped to protect many endangered animals such as elephants, tigers, giant pandas, and whales (World Wild Life, n.d.). It is helpful for many endangered species, but it should be more specific to help them. That is, penguins which suffered from global warming need their own association, which can give people specific and detailed information about global warming.

One of the successful examples is the Hawaiian Endangered Bird Conservation Program. The program focuses on Hawaiian endangered birds to preserve them, studies about only them rather than all endangered species, and manages the program for only the bird (Conservation and Research for Endangered Species, n.d.). According to CRES, Conservation and Research for Endangered Species, “The HEBCP manages the state-of-the-art Keauhou and Maui Bird Conservation centers, with a focus on species for which captive propagation is critical to their survival and recovery. One particularly notable species is the 'alala Corvus hawaiiensis: now extinct in the wild, the population numbers just over 50 individuals, all in the managed-care program. Intensive avicultural methods are employed to maximize the reproductive output of the captive birds. From 1993 to the end of 2006, a total of 835 chicks of 14 taxa have been successfully hatched by the HEBCP” (n.d., para. 4). The example shows how focusing on specific species is effective.

In addition, through the association, people can donate their money for penguins, and it will be helpful for saving them. In addition, it promotes a movement for saving penguins in public, so it makes people feel it is easy to join the association. If more people want to help them, the effect will become bigger.

Third, people should provide penguins the artificial places where the appropriate temperature can be controlled for endangered penguins and penguins’ food can be provided. Now, glaciers have been melted steadily, so some penguins are in danger of losing their habitats. If the temperature of the world is going up continually, the numbers of penguins which lose their homes will be increasing. Additionally, because of melting of the glaciers, there can be a big change in whole food chain. According to Greenpeace International, “Temperature rises are impacting on the entire marine food web. For example, phytoplankton, which feeds small crustaceans including krill, grows under sea ice. A reduction in sea ice implies a reduction in krill - and krill feeds many whale species, including the great whales” (n.d., para. 18). The problem is that krill feeds not only whale species, but also some penguins (Buschgardens, n.d.). Because of the primary reason that temperature changes because of global warming, the entire food chain will be changed and finally, penguins will lose their habitats where they can find food. So, until the global warming would stop, we have to provide some safe place to them, because we have caused global warming by human activities. If the money for foundation of the artificial places is too expensive to be afforded by a government, the association for penguins can help it with donation, as I mentioned above.

Some people say that global warming is not an unusual phenomenon, so we do not have to be concerned about it; however, it is true that the temperature of the world is increasing, so the number of penguins is decreasing. According to Buckley, “The average global temperature for 2004 of 14.60 degrees Celsius (58.28 degrees Fahrenheit) makes it the fourth warmest year on record. October and November of 2004 were the hottest of those months on record since recordkeeping began in 1880. February of 2004 was the second warmest, and March, April and December were the third warmest of those three months” (2005, para. 1). In addition, there are many studies about increasing sea level. According to Lovgren’s (2004) article, “Warming to cause catastrophic rise in sea level?,” “The biggest danger, many experts warn, is that global warming will cause sea levels to rise dramatically. Thermal expansion has already raised the oceans 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters)” (2004, para. 4). It means that the sea level is higher than a few decades before, because the glaciers have been melted for the time by global warming. Moreover, because of this, many penguins are losing their habitats. Sometimes they can be drowned, even though penguin is one of the underwater animals (Defenders of Wildlife, n.d.).

In conclusion, people should equip the filter system in their cars for reducing amounts of emission of carbon dioxide, found the World Penguin Association for helping only penguin, and provide penguins safe places for new habitats. The more we pay attention to penguins, the more likely penguins can stay alive. Because the global warming has occurred by human activities, we have a responsibility to save them. If penguins would disappear in few decades, it is possible that the same problem will occur in other situations, and it is also possible for the same situation that is happening to the penguin to happen to people. So, penguins have to survive not only for themselves, but also for human.

Reference

Buckley, L. (2005, January 25). Global temperature rise accelerating. Earth Policy Institute. Retrieved on November 29, 2007, from http://www.earth-policy.org/Indicators/Temp/2004.htm

Buschgardens (n.d.). Diet and Eating Habits. Retrieved on November 29, 2007, from http://www.buschgardens.org/infobooks/Penguins/diet.html

Conservation and Research for Endangered Species (n.d.). Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program. Retrieved on November 29, 2007, from http://cres.sandiegozoo.org/projects/sp_hawaii_birds.html

Defenders of Wildlife (n.d.). Penguin. Retrieved on November 5, 2007, from http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/penguin.php

Earthguide (n.d.). Global warming: The rise of CO2 & warming. Retrieved on November 11, 2007, from http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/globalchange/global_warming/03.html

Greenpeace International (n.d.). Global warming. Retrieved on November 29, 2007, from http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/oceans/globalwarmingoceans

Lee-Chua, Q. N. (2007, July 22). 10 ways to fight global warming. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved on November 5, 2007, from Lexis Nexis database.

Lovgren, S. (2004, April 26). Warming to cause catastrophic rise in sea level? National Geographic News. Retrieved on November 12, 2007, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0420_040420_earthday.html

World Wild Life. (n.d.). Endangered animal. Retrieved on November 11, 2007, from http://www.worldwildlife.org/endangered/index.cfm?sc=AWY0700WCG00&searchen=googl

Yoon, C. (2001, June 26). Penguins in trouble worldwide. The New York Times. Retrieved on November 5, 2007, from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DB1030F935A15755C0A9679C8B63