ABSTRACT
The phenomenon of extinction has been in existence for many years. The following extract puts the problem into perspective:2
Over the past two million years there have been seven so-called Ice Ages or glacial periods, which have been interrupted by warmer interglacial periods. These fluctuations have resulted in numerous extinctions. However, when our ancestors entered the scene between one and four million years ago the loss of species accelerated dramatically. Primitive Stone Age hunters caused extinctions of large mammals. Humans continually developed more sophisticated hunting techniques., ensuring ever greater levels of extinction. But now, in the 20th century, the wave of extinction is reaching levels quite unprecedented in the history of our planet. One great mass extinction observed in recent times has been the loss of the bulk of the amazing cichlid fish diversity in Africa’s Lake Victoria, which resulted directly from interference by humans. The most troubling cause of extinction is the combination of factors that result from the activities of people, primarily overpopulation and habitat destruction.
