What is the purpose of protecting endangered species? Why do we do it?

Question

I mean nothing bad when I ask this question, honest. But why do we go out to protect a certain species of animal as it is about to become extinct? What purpose does it serve? If it becomes extinct would it change anything in life as we know it?

Again, I'm just curious. I don't really understand how some animals are eaten while others are protected.

There are lots of great answers. I'm putting it to vote.

Answer 1

Endangered species are the result of natural evolution. Over 99% of all the species that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct. I don't propose driving whales, or lions, or eagles out of existence. I'd like to think we were better than that. But, I don't worry unnecessarily about some species of snail in the Yucatan Peninsula either.

Some animals are protected because they please us in some way and are not naturally recovering from pressure on their habitats. As for eating certain animals, you may be surprised at the animals that some people eat. In my opinion eating animals is done because we need the nutrition and they simply taste good.

I'm more concerned about losing plants and insects than animals. They are certainly much more necessary.

Answer 2

Careful !!!!

WHAT "DB" is NOT TELLING is that the actual rate of extinction of species is presently 1000 times what the rate should be...

This is largely due to us human beeings. The thing is that maybe a plant that is extinct in the amazon could have contained a combination of molecules we would not even have thought about that could have helped us kill some diseases...

While at the same time we transport species all over the world and disrupt ecosystems... and partly as a result of it, we see new diseases appearing, or spreading in places they weren´t before.

Animals disappearing are often more a matter of worry because all the food chain in which we take place is disrupted... it´s as simple as this: cats protect us from rats which would otherwise eat our crops and carry plagues to us.

Answer 3

Hi,

I have to try to answer this in a meaningful and ecologically sensible way - unlike the two people above. Sorry, I don't want to sound arrogant or like a know-it-all but their answers are rather glib and don't really give you an answer at all...

Animals, plants and everything else on this planet are here for a reason. A very good reason. We may not be able to see that reason because we are very limited in our overall understanding of the ecology of our planet. After all, we've only really been trying to come to grips with the way things "work" for the last 250 - 300 years. The main reason that we HAVE been trying this on is so that we can, basically and at the ground level, exploit for commercial gain what is "out there".

I agree that 99% of all species have become extinct over the last 4 500 000 000 years that the planet's been going. This is called EVOLUTION. It's natural. What we are doing now is anything but natural! The MAIN worry that endangerment brings up is perfectly exemplified by the case in my country, Australia. We've been responsible for the extinction of more species in 200 years than anywhere else on the earth. This, to my way of thinking, is very, very wrong. How do we know what damage we're doing to our planet's ecology by doing this? The introduction of feral species such as the rabbit, cat, fox, dog etc. has irrevocably altered the natural way of things. For me, this has lessened our ability to appreciate what we have in the way of an ecology - the root of this word means "home". Why do we want to do this? It saddens me to think that I will never be able to see so many of the species that once occured in my country...

Why is this sadness there? Because I want to be able to experience ALL of life, not just a smaller proportion of it. A proportion that has our human and very arrogant "footprint" all over it. ALL species - everything - on the planet is deeply and fundamentally interconnected. By rendering a species extinct, we have lessened our whole planet. Not just our experience of it, but the experiences and lives of everything.

Now, to answer your question directly - why do we go out to protect a certain species? Because there are some people out there who actually understand that there is an ecological balance which we are rapidly tipping in our favour. Most definitely to our detriment! What purpose does it serve and will it have any effect / change? This is not for us to know, in my humble opinion. It is good enough that the species exists....it is good enough for me that we are attempting to keep it going as a viable and extant entity - if you like, a fellow traveller on "spaceship earth". They're all our neighbours and we are very arrogant to think that we can lose some and promote the viability of others - once again, this is mainly due to their commercial value!!

I'd really like to be able to take you on a hike into the forests of my home - that's my main employment stream - as that's where I'd be able to SHOW you what I'm talking about. I'd suggest getting in touch with a conservation - minded organisation and go hiking with an ecologist so that he / she can explain while you're out amongst an ecosystem!

I hope this helps in your understanding of the Interconnectedness of all Things....

Love and Light,


Jarrah

Answer 4

well first off, we should protect these animals because they are becoming extinct because of what we are doing to this planet, which we have no right to do to it. and many animals becoming extinct may be the only food sources for other animals which would in turn, maybe cause that animal to become extinct.

and this world breeds animals like cows and pigs and chickens in massive amounts, for food, which we all need to survive, (yes we could go without meat, but that's a different topic). so they are in no danger of becoming extinct, while other animals are killed by deforestation, poaching, pollution, global warming, which we caused for the most part...

Answer 5

Because all life is a web, and EVERYTHING is connected whether you see it or not.

And unfortunately, we are finding that it's only AFTER species have been displaced, exterminated, or disturbed that we are able to see the ripple affects.

Something like over 90% of the species in the rainforest haven't even been catalogued yet, and many scientists have been saying that some of the most promising anti-cancer agents are coming from botanicals.

Answer 6

In the US, the Endangered Species Act says this about its purpose: . . . Species of fish, wildlife, and plants have been so depleted in numbers that they are in danger of or threatened with extinction; . . . these species . . . are of aesthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific value to the Nation and its people.

So, what it boils down to is that the people of the US value preserving species, so Congress made it law.

Answer 7

well a lot of the animals are becoming extinct or endangered because of how many humans live on earth and are pushing the animals out of their habitats. so we have to try to do something because if it wasnt for us then they might have had a fighting chance and who know maybe they wouldnt be endangered at all.