South Africa's Grasslands are in danger! I came across this article that discusses the Grey Crowned Crane, one of South Africa's most beautiful and majestic birds. This crane is losing its habitat, and is currently critically endangered in South Africa. There are less than 260 birds remaining in the wild, and habitat destruction is a major issue!
The biggest threat is mining t this time. Apparently open-cast coal mining destroys large areas. Crop agriculture is also a major issue, because the diversity of the land is reduced greatly when large plots of land are used for farming. Saving the landscape of South Africa is not necessarily the focus of many conservation corporations, which usually focus on the more majestic safari animals.
Grasslands are 80 percent herbaceous plants and forbs, and only 20 percent grasses. The forb is critical to the ecosystem, and it is typically the first to be destroyed. There are thousands of plant species that thrive in grasslands, and much of the ecosystem is dependent on the health of these habitats.
Here is the article if you'd like to check it out:
http://www.wildlifesouthafrica.com/news/show_news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1365919624&archive=&template=
-Brittany Bankston
No comments:
Post a Comment