Why Does Extinction Matter?
The loss of a species, or even a population, reduces biodiversity and makes our planet that much poorer. Extinction chips away at our natural world, reducing our enjoyment of it. Today we can never again enjoy the buzzy trill of the Bachman’s Warbler song, or the deep booming call of the Heath Hen, or marvel at the site of a massive flock of passenger pigeons, millions strong, darkening the sky as it passes overhead.
The loss of species from our natural world can have negative impacts on humans as well: numerous studies have shown that experiencing nature, and even just listening to birds sing, makes us happier, and healthier as well.
Species loss has negative impacts well beyond our enjoyment of nature. Healthy and resilient ecosystems depend critically on connections between the species that live in them. Birds rely on insects and plants for food, and many also depend on plants for safe nesting sites. Flowering plants rely on birds and insects for pollination, and for dispersing their seeds. Species are connected in a vast “web of life”. Removing strands from that web weakens it, putting the entire ecosystem at risk.
The ‘i’iwi is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. Although 'I'iwi are still relatively common on the islands of Hawai‘i and Maui, they are susceptible to habitat loss and degradation, predation by introduced mammals, and diseases, particularly avian malaria and avian pox. Without careful, informed conservation the ‘I’iwi, a prominent symbol of Hawai’i itself, could easily be lost.
The Wall of Birds
It is hard to comprehend the ancient history and dizzying diversity of birds. To give visitors a sense of it, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Jane Kim of Ink Dwell Studio combined efforts on a more than 3,000 square foot mural depicting their 375 million year evolution and all modern families. This mural occupies a whole wall of the Lab’s visitor center, showcasing 270 species, with everything from a 30-foot long Yutyrannus, ancestor of the first feathered dinosaur, to the tiny Spatuletail Hummingbird, every one painted to scale. It is the only mural in the world to showcase all modern families of birds.
Jane Kim is sharing several of the beautiful birds she painted for the wall in this exhibit as part of celebrating a decade of The Wall of Birds, which was completed in 2015 after more than two-and-a-half years of dedicated work.
Look for Jane Kim’s art on this panel, and several others in the exhibit. You can also visit the Lab of O’s Visitor Center in Sapsucker Woods for the spectacular full mural or visit the interactive virtual version online.