The wildlife that call Earth home are undergoing a crisis by the hands of humans. In the past millennium, more than 320 species have died out or been killed off. Pollution is one of the main reasons animals are dying. Whether it is dumping toxins into the water or throwing trash away without taking precautions, each decision humans make on how they dispose of materials is aiding in the animals dying.  

The only place ordinary people get the chance to interact with wild animals is in captivity. Zoos and SeaWorld have caught the attention of humans for years, instead of having to travel across the country, the animals are brought to us. This has given humans the chance to have fun while ignoring the consequences of their actions.

“The main thing I would do to help save the animals I would try to get my friends and people I know to stop going to zoos and SeaWorld,” junior Kyra Miller said. “They keep the animals out of their habitats and use them for economic purposes which in turn keeps the animals from reproducing in the wild.”

While Miller has a point about zoos keeping animals away from their homes, some zoos are used as rehabilitation centers. These places bring the injured animals in, nurse them back to health and then release them back into the wild. 

“When the animals are healthy again it is cruel to keep them locked in a cage,” Miller said. “Keeping them locked somewhere to gain money is taking away their whole life’s purpose.” 

The Wild Tomorrow Fund gives people the chance to donate an acre of land in South Africa. Their mission is to “ensure that the world that comes after us is a world in which a wild tomorrow is possible.”  When animals are on private land, poachers have less of a chance to get to them. Studies show that in 2012, 668 rhinos were poached in Africa, by January 2013 the numbers increased to 946, the rhinos were being poached at two per day.

“Everyday watching TV or YouTube I see an ad about how to save the animals,” sophomore Wyatt Sligar said, “It is a really sad thing to watch and know that people don’t always take the initiative to save the animals that started the world for us.”