Imagine that you are a wild animal. Imagine that you’re an animal. The spring is almost over, and it’s mating time. You’d normally be calling out for a partner, hoping to find one. They’re gone. They all fled as the forest began to collapse. Because they had nowhere to run, predators ate the other animals. Your last kind is gone, and you have failed in your quest to find a mate. The ASPCA estimates that 700 species are now extinct. Many species, including mastodons, dinosaurs, and the passenger pigeon, have been wiped out by man-made interference. Why should endangered species be protected? This is a worthy topic for an essay.
Did you realize that the death of a species can have a negative impact on other species? A single species’ death can potentially destroy an entire food-chain. If you remove a single species, it could cause chaos. Army ants support, for example 100 species of beetles, birds, and other insects. Its loss can have a catastrophic effect on species who depend on them. Face it, if species continue to disappear, others will follow. You may ask, “Well, what’s the point of caring about animals and plants dying? I am a person! It’s not my concern.” Well, it’s actually your responsibility to be concerned about endangered species. You’ll learn more next.
You probably didn’t know that the loss of species can also have an impact on our economy. Yes, our economy, you heard me right. Businesses and industries are fueled by certain species. The honeybee is a good example. Beekeepers in 24 American States report that as much as 70 percent have died recently, threatening the $14 billion worth of U.S. agriculture. (Wagner). We rely on honeybees to pollinate plants, providing us with beeswax products and honey. Imagine the honeybee dying! Overfishing is another example. It “accounts for over 230 million job worldwide. More than 230 million people worldwide depend on fishing, either directly or in an indirect way. Fish they catch make up roughly 16 percent (or more) of all animal protein consumed worldwide. There are no jobs for fishermen if there are no fish. The same goes for eating fish. Next, we’ll discuss what would happen if one plant species was wiped out.
Did you know certain plants are used to make medicines? Aspirin can be made from willow-bark. We could learn new ways to treat diseases and develop cures through studying animals and plants. Pumiliotoxins are found in the skins of poison dart and other amphibians. Who can say? Maybe there are species that could hold the key to new discoveries in medicine.
Not everyone will agree with me. I disagree politely with people who claim that protecting species from extinction costs too much for the taxpayers. The effort to conserve species is costly, but the environmental impact of animals is so great that it is well worth the money. Even though helping people is very important, we must also realize that we are not the only creatures on earth and we have a duty to preserve life.
It has been successful to pass laws protecting endangered species. Many animals have returned to normal populations. This is evident in the case of bald eagles. In the early 1970s, the bald-eagle’s habitat was destroyed, its food source contaminated with pesticides, and it was illegally shot. The federal government banned DDT and introduced the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered-Species Act prohibits imports of animals “threatened to worldwide extinction”. The protection of non-living nature has also been a success. Lake Erie provides water to Toledo. Lake Erie Bill of Rights ensures that those who pollute the lake will be held accountable. It is logical to give nature legal rights. This includes non-living creatures, as there are many examples where this has worked. Nature includes animals, so why not give ecosystems the same legal standing as we have given endangered species?
You can see that we need to protect all species, including plants and animals. Years later, we can be hit with severe consequences if these species die. We must do more in order to prevent habitat loss, poaching, illegal trading, and the destruction of threatened and endangered species.
I would like to summarize all of my arguments. We should protect these species because they may affect other animals in the food-chain, could impact our industries and economics, and can even help develop new medicines. These are certainly enough reasons to protect endangered species.
We should close this essay by asking ourselves: What can we do to protect endangered species? We all share this planet. It’s cruel to wipe out a species. Animals also contribute to the biodiversity of our planet. Earth will be less interesting if species are allowed to die out and their habitats destroyed. It is important to try and find ways of protecting endangered animals. This will help preserve biodiversity so future generations can enjoy it. We will both benefit if we manage to coexist peacefully with animals and humans on Earth.