Pollution Driving Animals From Their Habitats
Published by The rivers and streams give life to everything that lives near them be it animals or humans. The rivers are under constant attack from pollution due to dumping and farming. Here is a personal account of a place that was ruined by pollution over a 10-15 year period.
This river bank is home to thousands of insects such as flies, beetles, wasps, butterflies, ants, worms, spiders, centipedes, and a whole lot more. Some animals also call it home such as birds, foxes, badgers, shrews, moles, mice, rats, mink, ferrets, hedgehogs and otters. If you cant see them here they wouldn’t be to far away. This setting is a perfect habitat for all the animals and insects listed above. It makes a perfect habitat because of the preservation of its condition down through the years. Across the river there is a thicket that has been virtually untouched by humans for many years, because of this fact animals and insects have claimed it their own. Under the thicket foxes and rabbits mice and rats and the rest have path ways through the bushes that they have made and used for years. These paths look like tunnels in the hedge, they come in all different shapes and sizes. The smaller ones would be used by the smaller animals giving them an escape route from the bigger ones that would prey on them. This perfect habitat has an abundance of food for their inhabitants, they all live off each other using the smaller animals as food. The smaller animals eat the vegetation and insects, and the insects eat each other and some may eat the leaves.
You would be surprised at how many different species would use this area, and they all use it for the same reason, the fresh running water. The water streams that line fields in the countrysides and mountain passes all give refuge to these animals, and even more animals use them as you go from one location to the next. The worlds streams and rivers are the life lines of these creatures without these they would vanish from the countryside and probably vanish completely. All of these animals and insects have a role to play whether you have noticed or not, they all offer the world cleansing and fertilisation, pollination, culling of pests and fight off unwanted insects that could damage crops and such.
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On April 3, 2009 at 8:23 am
That wasn’t a very smart farmer. He should have known better. Farming practices like that ruin the land for the next generation, and will start showing up in the farm production in a few very short years. Good article, and excellent choice of pictures for illustrating your points.
On April 3, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Great article,and Absolutely right.
Water is non replaceable. There will never be any more water, it just gets recycled, and when we pollute it, we do so to everything it touches.
On April 3, 2009 at 2:11 pm
That farmer is typical example of todays kind of people. Every man for himself kind of thinking is everywhere. They don’t think about the future and the impact these kinds of practices will have on everything and everyone around them. This applies to those who think that mistreating freshwater sources will not affect them. In the long run everyone will be affected. It will catch up to them. I try really hard to do my part. It makes me sad to think that my sons will be affected by this.
On April 3, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Great write. Another example of cause and effect. Some people just don’t think about how their actions can harm.
On April 3, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Pollution drives people from areas too, but for sure I view wildlife habitat as a sensitive matter, one we should really consider when planning waste management.
I disagree with Sandra, most farmers do think about the future, because many of them will plan on passing down their land to their kids.. however without the correct information being given to them, how do they know different. Around me I see most runoff pollution being from lake front home owners who want green grass and use too many chemicals – last year our lake was green with algae as a result
On April 3, 2009 at 7:51 pm
It was good the farmer was fined, but I agree with B Nelson, where we live more of the pollution is caused by “cottage” owners than by farmers. one person bought a lake front house and than dugg up their shore line (rocks and grass) and dumped sand.. this destroyed natural fish habitat (although it wasnt polluting) I beleive they were fined too, but not sure. But the problem is all the others who pour fertilizer onto their lawns and so on.
WE ALL NEED TO DO OUR BIT – thanks for your link
On April 3, 2009 at 8:58 pm
I too am with B Nelson on this one. Another problem is city runoff… people changing their oil in the street or flushing out their car’s radiator in the driveway. The old adage was: The solution to pollution is dilution. Now we know better as simple runoff of spilled gasoline can contaminate thousands of gallons of water.
Good that you brought awareness to the whole problem, keep it up.
Thanks,
Clay
On April 3, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Thank you for this important article – - I know that we can all do our part to help prevent pollution – - even the smallest change in your daily habits will make a huge difference.
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
On April 5, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Good issue to raise for awareness and debate.
On April 6, 2009 at 8:20 am
Great article Steve, glad to see that idiot farmer got fined at least. I hate to see beautiful places destroyed too..
On April 6, 2009 at 11:55 am
you’re absolutely right!
On April 6, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Good article. I live in a rural area, and know that most farmers here are very careful about pollution now, more so than in the past when they didn’t realise that chemicals and pesticides were harmful. I’m glad that you reported this farmer, and hope he learnt something from it!
On May 29, 2009 at 6:58 am
A few years ago by some estimates EVERY WEEKEND people changing oil in their cars at home and dumping the oil ‘behind the garage’ or ‘down the woodchuck hole’ or on their dusty driveway ‘for dust control’ was greater than the amount of oil that escaped from the Exxon Valdez accident.
That is still a mess, that shoreline. Pathetic, -they were out there wiping that up with what looked like paper towels! :-
And the Valdez? It has had several name changes over the years, trying to escape it legacy past. It was called “SeaRiver Mediterranean” then shortened to “S/R Mediterranean” and it’s current name is “Dong Fang Ocean” I think.
-They should just call it what by whatever name they think of the planet, “Doggone Ocean” or “Feng Shui NOT!” :-b