My topic for my portfolio this year is deforestation and its effect on wildlife.

Deforestation is a serious problem it threatens many animal species and species of trees.

According to WorldWildLife.org “Forests cover 31% of the land area on our planet. They produce vital oxygen and provide homes for people and wildlife. Many of the world’s most threatened and endangered animals live in forests, and 1.6 billion people rely on benefits forests offer, including food, fresh water, clothing, traditional medicine and shelter.”

Deforestation can be caused by wildfires, farmers clearing area for agriculture and farmland, and logging companies.

Agriculture is a large cause of deforestation. Big areas are cleared to make room for large fields of produce, such as palm oil which is used in many food products. Once these plantations have been left behind the soil is too poor to support much plant life.

Another cause of deforestation is cattle and livestock farming. There is such a large demand for beef and other meat that lots of land is needed to keep up with it, according to onegreenplanet.org “Since 1990, Brazil, a top exporter of beef, has lost an area of forest that is three-fourths the size of Texas.”

Logging companies cut down Millions if not billions of trees every year.

Many animals habitats are affected by deforestation. This is includes orangutans and other species of monkey, a few species of elephant, the sumatran tiger.

Forests hold a lot of carbon in them. This is because trees absorb CO2 and release oxygen. When forests are cut down all the carbon they hold within them is released into the atmosphere. This is not good for the planet because CO2 is one of the biggest causes of global warming.