Endangered Animals from bombings in Ukraine - Hanya Awan

Many conflicts have been circulating with the media showing the ongoing damages and long-term effects on economies, industries and savings. This connects to a very significant event that is taking a toll of attention from everyone around the globe, reaching millions to support the vulnerable and suffering. Poverty, shortages and separation strike as families in Ukraine are struggling to make their ends meet with necessities of food and water as many missiles and bombs are exploding in many areas in Kyiv and Kharkiv, both the biggest and major cities in the Eastern part of Europe. With many families and individuals suffering, it is no surprise that many families had to not only experience separation from each other, such as children and young males fighting in the war, but the families also abandoned their pets and farm animals. With bombs and missiles being sent for many quiet and intense nights, many animals have experienced shortages of food, face hunger and have been lost in rural areas while being abandoned, which leads to little hope in their survival and strength. Not only is Russia responsible for the bombings and explosive events in Ukraine, but Vladimir Putin’s invading forces could additionally damage the Ukraine landscape, home to hundreds of unique and endangered species that have already been vulnerable prior to the turning events from the Ukraine-Russia conflict. According to the Revelator articles, there are already more than 20 endangered species that are at risk in Ukraine prior to and after the damage from the war. These species include the Vitrea nadejdae which is a snail found in 5 small areas in Ukraine that were tourist attractions but now with explosive events and environmental damage, many are on the peaks of almost becoming extinct. The Saker falcon is another example of being in a vulnerable state from the factors of war, climate change and environmental damage; these birds do not breed in Ukraine but do spend time there annually. According to the Revelator Article, the Ukrainian Birds of Prey Research Centre refers to the falcon population in the country as “extremely vulnerable”, which was will not increase any benefit to their population decrease. A third example includes the hoverfly also known as Orthonevra plumbago, which was initially an insect that was historically discovered in many parts of Europe, but according to the IUCN, “all assumed 10 localities might be so small that they are at risk of immediate extinction.” Another insect is the fruit fly also known and referred to as the Melangaster jaroslavensis, this fruit fly is common in seven locations and towns in Russia but rarely in Ukraine with only one location being its prominent habitat area. With factors to contributing extinction such as grazing, fertilizer pollution and prior river development, the fruit fly is rarely to be seen especially with nuclear impacts on the nation recently. The most endangered insect has not been seen for more than several decades, it was a special, unique Ukrainian bee that was referred to as the Andrena labiatula (genus and species name from the classification system of the biosphere for animals). Today, the bee is only known from three specimens found on the Crimean peninsula and is officially listed as endangered for more than 5+ decades. These species alone are only a quarter of the actual horrors of the damage the Russian government has caused to endanger the entire wildlife of Ukraine. Many individuals suspect that explosive behaviour might only lead to their casualties and level of being vulnerable, however, within the last two months these conditions are only one aspect of why these animals in Ukraine are slowly decreasing in population and are not determined to have a very long lifetime. Levels of air pollution and land pollution have had a high probability in increasing the risk of these abandoned animals since pollution monitoring systems are not utilized highly and unchecked. Since Ukraine was considered a highly industrialized country prior to the war and long-term conflict impacts, it already has had a history and baseline of contaminated air. Russia has exacerbated the environmental conditions in Ukraine by attacking its infrastructure, so if some of the industrial or, more importantly, nuclear reactor sites get intentionally or accidentally destroyed, the repercussions could be catastrophic, according to Planet Custodian's report on the contributions Russia has made to Ukraine by the Planet Custodian Blog Article.

Works Cited

Animals and Cartoonists. Http://Twitter. com/Johnrplatt Http://Johnrplatt.com Https://Www.instagram.com/Johnrplatt. “20 Endangered Species at Risk in Ukraine • the Revelator.” The Revelator, 28 Feb. 2022, therevelator.org/endangered-species-ukraine/.

“How Animals in Ukraine Are Being Rescued during War.” BBC News, 3 Mar. 2022, www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-60593791.

“Russia-Ukraine War Decimates Environment and Wildlife.” Www.planetcustodian.com, www.planetcustodian.com/russia-ukraine-war-environmental-impacts/24818/. Accessed 21 Mar. 2022.