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Cristian Rubalcaba
Professor Batty
English 114B
18 March 2014
Are We To Blame For Animal Extinction On Earth?
The novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick is based in the near
future of 2021, where earth is only populated by very few humans because of a nuclear World
War Terminus. The effect of Terminus led everyone to leave to mars because earth is inhabitable
to very few humans, nature and animals. Philip K. Dick mentions animals plenty of times and
how worthy real ones are to humans. I believe that Philip K. Dick is trying to say that we are
taking animals for granted. Until they are gone we finally realize how important they are to
humanity and the eco system. Are we to blame for the past, present and future of animal
extinction? Humans could possibly be a main factor to animal extinction. Philip K. Dicks novel
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? could be an eye opener to this alleged possibility.
Dicks novel mentions animals a handful of times. Since World War Terminus earth has
been covered in radioactive dust. Everything has been affected by this dust. Since real animals
are very limited, they created robot animals to replace the ones that are gone. Real animals are
very costly and rare. Having a real animal shows some sort of ranking or how notorious you are.
Animals are very important to people who live on earth. Taking care of animals is kind of
expected to be done by society. If you kill or hurt an animal there could be severe consequences.
This shows how much they praise an animal. Because of the radioactive world war, animals
become extinct and we finally realize how important they are to us.
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There are other factors that lead to animal extinction not only caused by war but also
deforestation as well. Deforestation is a permanent destruction of forest in order to make land
used for other causes. Some causes of deforestation are agricultural activities, logging,
urbanization, mining and plenty others. Because of these causes animals are losing their homes
which can lead to animal extinction. Seventy percent of the worlds plants and animals live in
forests and are losing their habitats to deforestation. (Szalay, Jessie) Destroying natural habits is
the same as destroying some random persons house. This leaves them homeless, foodless, lost
and depressed. This can also affect others around it that relies on animals and plants for food or
medicinal use. Without plants there will be a greater famine for animals. Conservation experts
have already signaled that the world is in the grip of the sixth great extinction of species,
driven by the destruction of natural habitats (Jowit, Juliette) Now there have been five great
extinctions already and destroying natural habitats or deforestation can possibly lead to a sixth
great extinction. Not only does deforestation lead to animal extinction but this can lead to carbon
emissions.
Carbon emissions are things we release such as gas, fossil fuels, carbon dioxide and many
more into the atmosphere. Humans are changing the carbon cycle by releasing more carbon
dioxide and destroying forests. While CO
2
emissions come from a variety of natural sources,
human-related emissions are responsible for the increase that has occurred in the atmosphere
since the industrial revolution. (Environmental Protection Agency) Destroying forests and
releasing more carbon dioxide creates an imbalance in the atmosphere. The environment can get
polluted and cause harmful things to animals, plants, humans, and earth. One thing that is
harmful and increasing is global warming.
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Global warming is the increase in the worlds temperature that is caused by certain gases
released in the atmosphere. Global warming affects animals tremendously. The increase in
temperature has a big impact for the animals in the arctic. The arctic is melting at a fast rate
which makes it difficult for animals to survive. One particular animal that people know that is
being affected by the melting of the arctic is the polar bear. The polar bear is not the only one
being affected but animals from the tropic and oceanic as well are being affected by global
warming. It takes animals millions of years to adapt to change. Adapting to the change in
temperature will mean the difference between extinction and survival for many species.
Survival and adaptation is a key element to any animals lifestyle. Survival has
been taken to the next step because of hunting. Hunting has been around since first man roamed
the earth. Hunting was a necessity to them. It was food for their family and tribe. It was also a
way of earning money by trading skin or meat with another tribe but now humans are doing it as
a way of a sport or joy. People travel around the world just to go hunting. Plenty of animals are
extinct because of hunting, such as the Tasmanian tiger and the Dodo bird. Many endangered
species are top predators whose numbers are dwindling due to conflicts with humans. (Bove,
Jennifer) I believe that humans will hunt the biggest and toughest animal next on the food chain
just to say or show off they did it. Hunting animals causes a lack of food in the food chain.
Killing a full adult animal could possibly lead to a death of a young baby animal. The young rely
on the parent to bring them food, protection and shelter. If they are killed in a hunt then that
leaves the young to fend on their own. Hunting does not only affect one animal it affects every
animal around it. Hunters will hunt for two reasons. One reason is to have food for families. The
other reason is hunters will hunt for a trophy. Yes hunting could help control animal population
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but who are we to end an animals life for a sport? Animals will and always have been very
important to our eco-system.
All animals have an important role wherever they may be. Some animals eat plants to
keep plant species from overcrowding each other. Bees pollinate most flowering plants allowing
the plants to reproduce. Basically they help in the cycle of different nutrients. Most animals are
important to other animals higher up in the food chain. This allows the higher ranking animals to
hunt and get food. If some animals were to go extinct then there would be a massive
overcrowding of another animal. Animals are important to our lives as well. Animal research
plays a big role in the medical department. They give us food, clothing and companionship.
Philip K. Dick could be showing us that we are on the track of near animal
extinction. Humans are a possible factor to animal extinction. Deforestation, climate change and
hunting are factors that lead to extinction. In the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
they value animals so much. Maybe now were just taking advantage of them for our own
personal use. We dont know how important animals are to us until they are almost all gone.
Value things now and hopefully all animals today still exist thousands of years later.







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Works Cited
Bove, Jennifer. "Why Does It Matter If Species Go Extinct?" About.com Endangered
Species. About, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.
"Carbon Dioxide Emissions." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Jowit, Juliette. "Humans Driving Extinction Faster than Species Can Evolve, Say Experts." The
Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 08 Mar. 2010. Web. 01 Mar. 2014
Plumer, Brad. "There Have Been Five Mass Extinctions in Earths History. Now Were Facing A
Sixth." Washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2014. Web. 4 Mar. 2014.
Szalay, Jessie. "Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 06
Mar. 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.