Going Extinct

Extinction is an unpleasant subject. It is a natural phenomenon that occurs when a particular thing, plant, or animal ceases to exist. 137 species of animals go extinct every single day. This causes a domino effect on an ecosystem that could change the landscape of a region forever. Some factors that cause extinction are habitat loss, introducing a destructive new species, a rival’s population growth, and overconsumption of a particular food group. During an apocalyptic event, there will be an enormous drop in humans leading these animals toward a path to extinction.

Pandas

Today, the panda isn’t considered an endangered species anymore, but it still has a long way to go before they are in the all-clear. According to the 2014 census by the World Wildlife Federation, there are 1,864 wild and over 600 captive pandas. If a major apocalyptic event occurs, the ones in captivity will be the first to perish. Pandas require 20-45 pounds of bamboo a day, which takes sixteen hours to consume. Wild pandas will have no problem finding food since bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world. Their problem will be themselves. Over half of their babies will die from either infection or being crushed to death by their mother. Over time, the population will decrease every year by half until eventually, they are no more.

Dairy Cows

They are the most spoiled livestock on a farm. After generations of careful breeding, they no longer have the skills necessary to live without us. Despite the rumor, a cow’s milk doesn’t dry up if you stop milking for a few weeks like humans. In fact, if you don’t milk a cow regularly, it causes them to become stressed and uncomfortable. The milk in their utters will go bad, causing it to swell, leading to infections. They require a special diet high in protein and fat to perform their everyday functions. A diet they’ve grown accustomed to. It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to switch a cow to an all-grass diet in a single day. Cows also depend on us to take care of their basic hygiene needs, like cleaning up their poop and trimming their hooves so they don’t get a painful abscess in their foot.

Pigs

Wilbur may be nature’s garbage disposal, but when the apocalypse hits, he won’t last long. Like cows, domesticated pigs require humans to keep them fed on special diets and provide fresh water. 70% of their diet is fresh fruits and vegetables, with corn being their number one food. They eat eight pounds a day, so losing this source can lead many to starve to death within the first few weeks. Pigs can’t sweat, so they depend on us to give them a pond or mud to cool off in. When there is a drought, it will dry these resources up. Since most live in stalls in a barn, things will heat up pretty fast during the summer months. During cold snaps, they require us to get the straw they need to stay warm. The biggest probably facing pigs isn’t the lack of food or the temperature. It will be to give birth. Pigs struggle to deliver, so much so that farmers have hand-delivered every single piglet in a litter. Without this intervention, almost all female pigs will die. Without females, then males can’t reproduce.

Sheep

Food might not be an issue for the sheep, but over time, they’ll begin suffering from the lack of humans. Sheep depend on us to remove their heavy wool or fleece coats every year or two. A single sheep can produce 20-30 pounds of wool every year. This is what will lead to their downfall as a species. The coat will eventually become too heavy, causing their movements to become more restricted. Sheep also don’t sweat, so the heavy wool coat will cause many of them to die from heatstroke. The wool around their butt will get covered in feces, causing infections and bug bites. Over time, they’ll develop a condition known as wool blinding. This is when the wool grows over their eyes, leading to an inability to see. Sheep are also the primary food source of a lot of predatory animals, including wolves and wild dogs. Every year canines kill and eat 3,879 sheep. Without us to protect them, they are defenseless to these creatures.

My Pet Pug Named Izzy

Okay, this is more of a funny post to lighten the mood. My dog Izzy, AKA Princess Puggy Butt, is well a baby. She requires a special diet of a third wet and a one-forth cup dry of a medical-based food. The food must be thoroughly mixed to ensure I covered all the dry bits in wet. Another important part of her diet is special probiotic treats, which she gets three or more a day. Things that scare her are blowing raspberries, the sound of a spray bottle, and heavy rain, just to name a few. She insists on sleeping on top of a big squishy pillow for 15 hours a day. If the pillow is too big, then she requires help to get on top. She might not survive the apocalypse, but she’s still my little baby.