Does every animal have an intrinsic right to survival?

Question

Should this right extend to plants and microorganisms? What about the anopheles mosquito which transmits malaria? What do you think?

Answer 1

there wouldn't be an environment or life without microrganisms.

Answer 2

You're question is very appropriate in this imperfect world.

To best understand, we should know where all the plants and animals came from and what they did to get here. All living organisms SHARE the same humble beginnings as single-cell microorganisms. All organisms are individual, and all organisms practice self-preservation. Organisms colonize every practical niche of habitation and survival in the face of competition for limited resources, and thus evolve differently to adapt to those different environments.

What does this mean? Organisms do what they can to survive. Some organisms, like plants, are relatively benign. While some organisms are predators, and some are parasites, such as the mosquito you mentioned. And some organisms have developed nervous systems to feel and react, and even brains to think and make decisions.

So nature is a no-holds barred, dog-eat-dog world. Does that make it right? . . . Absolutely not.

Myth: Everything has a purpose. Reality: Everything is self-serving, seeking it's own prosperity.

Myth: What's natural is right. Reality: What's natural is just how things are.

This begs the question what is right and what is wrong? Right is pursuit of prosperity. Wrong is harming others, interfering with their prosperity.

In this imperfect, selfish world where organisms compete for limited resources and live conflicting lifestyles, what is right? Right is benefitting all and harming as little as possible.

Concerning the mosquito, she has no rights in nature, only what she can take, and toward a more perfect world she would be gone because she does more harm than good.

Answer 3

No animal has a right to survival, that's what it's all about--survival of the fittest.

However, that does not apply to man and man's technology. We have made the game unfair. Many species have been subject to situations that man has created and have been unable to survive. So protecting endangered species is important if we were the reason that said species became endangered.

Answer 4

You need to take a good look at the circle of life.
Let's start at the very bottom of the food chain - micro-organisms.
What eats micro-organisms?
Tadaaa! STAR-FISHES EAT MICRO-ORGANISMS! xD
What eats starfishies?
SEAGULLS EAT STARFISHIES! :D
What eats seagulls?
Well.. They're sort of considered rats with wings..
A bit un-plate-able.
But I'll betcha some little orphan three year old somewhere has once eaten a seagull.
Then probably died..
WHAT EATS DEAD THREE-YEAR-OLD ORPHANS?
*drum-roll* MIRCO-ORGANISMS! :D
Sorry for my quite morbid answer..
Had to get you to take a good look at the circle of life.
So, who are we to say that a certain species shouldn't survive?
We kill one species, we kill all species.
And yes, even that dreaded little mosquito has a right to life.
Here in Canada, mosquitoes are our national birds.
You have choices when faced with mosquitoes:
a- wear a massive net like some kind of idiot
b- turn yourself into a giant fly-swatter
c- don't go outside
d- swim in a river of Off, the product, not the word, idiots.
e- RUN!
But they're here to stay.
You can't kill them all.
Mosquitoes also eat micro-organisms.
Then we'd kill all of the micro-organisms.
THEN THE WORLD,
WOULD BE OVER-POPULATED
WITH DEAD BABIES
WHO EAT SEAGULLS!
[ahem]
I've made my point..
Tootles.

Answer 5

Even the smallest life form have survival instinct. For example, parasite virus consumes healthy cell of its victim in order to nurture itself. Once it got enough nutrition, it will split itself and continues its cycle of life.

Answer 6

Most animals don't have a legal right to survival, like humans have (or are forced to have, euthanasia is illegal), however, if they do have to die, it is generally considered good form so that they die in a painless or low pain fashion. In most places, it's illegal to painfully terminate or abuse an animal.

Answer 7

Life is a gift, continued survival is conditonal.

Answer 8

Nope. It has been this way for thousands and millions of years.

Off to do some deer hunting now. Catch you later!

Cheers!