Chinese Seabird on Verge of Extinction

In Beijing, China, conservationists are reporting that the Chinese crested tern is in danger of becoming extinct. The birds' eggs are considered a delicacy in the Chinese coastal provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian. Scientists are predicting that within five years, if things don't change, the bird will be extinct. This article also reports that last year the rare Chinese river dolphin was declared extinct due to overfishing and the degradation of their habitat. Conservationists are asking that laws be put in place to protect the eggs of the crested tern, as well as protect their breading grounds.
It would be quite a tragedy if this bird became extinct. Seabirds are very important to shoreline habitats, but I think the real issue is how these animals are becoming extinct. I can't believe that these people can be so irresponsible to hunt these animals to extinction. It seems as though the laws that are made to protect endangered species rarely stop the people who make a living on hunting them. This is why there are organizations such as the Sea Shepherds who take it upon themselves to use force in halting or slowing down the hunting of protected animals. It seems as though the only way to ensure the protection of endangered species is to have authorities patrolling these habitats. The problem here is the money it would cost to do this. The article argues that the increase in the sale of Chinese crested tern eggs is due to the increase in the Chinese economy in the past 30 years. If this is the case, there should be some funding to ensure the protection of this endangered bird.

This past week, I joined my girlfriend and friends in picking up trash at the Rio de Flag. There was an event that involved many volunteers from around Flag who joined together to try to clean-up Flag. It was a lot of fun and it was a great cause!