Which one of the following is NOT a major cause of Wildlife Extinction?

1. A

   Loss of natural habitat

   (a) Loss of natural habitat. Habitat destruction is the first-rank global driver of wildlife extinction. It is a major cause, so not the ‘NOT’ answer.

2. B

   To make fire in the forest

   (b) To make fire in the forest. Forest fire, accidental or incendiary, kills fauna and burns habitat. It is treated as a major cause here.

3. C

   Illegal commercial trade of wildlife

   (c) Illegal commercial trade of wildlife. Poaching and CITES-listed trade are a primary extinction pathway. It is major.

4. D

   Fast pace of population growth

   (d) Fast pace of population growth. On this paper the direct wildlife-extinction drivers are habitat loss, fire and illegal trade; rapid human population growth is not listed as a major immediate cause. Official key.

Summary. Official key is (d) Fast pace of population growth. Exam ecology treats habitat loss, fire and illegal wildlife trade as the major, proximate extinction causes. Human population growth may pressure land use, but it is the odd, indirect item among these four. (a)–(c) stay inside the major-cause set.