“Some people believe that society should try to save every plant and
animal species, despite the expense to humans in effort, time, and financial
well-being. Others believe that society need not make extraordinary efforts,
especially at a great cost in money and jobs, to save endangered species.”
The issue in hand asks; whether or not humans should try to save
endangered species, at the cost of all the time and financial efforts involved
in the process? Darwin’s theory of fittest survive has clearly stated that, it
is due to the course of natural selection that a species becomes extinct.
However, the recent development in industrial civilization has
brought in various changes in the atmospheric and ecological balance of planed.
These human imposed changes further affect the delicate balance of life. Thus,
it is a protocol to protect the damage caused by human intervention. Therefore,
I believe it is our duty as higher beings to support the endangered species,
which has reached to the "endangered" status because of humans.
Earth since its origin and formation of species, has underwent about 4
to 5 mass extinction. Some scientists believe that present chemical changes are
an onset of another mass extinction. The important thing about this mass
extinction is that the climatic changes have been brought by human intervention
with the natural course of nature. Carbon emission, cutting down of trees,
destruction of natural reserve has turned out as destruction of habitat for a
large number of species. Even minute change in global temperature can rule out
the existence of many species. Moreover, the in the process and selfish chores
of industrialization by using up resource is directly related to
destruction of habitat. However, human often neglect the fact that the
destruction of species would disturb the delicate balance of environment and
would ultimately rule out life.
All the species are
interdependent on each other in various ways. For example, consider the
interdependence in food chain. Any ecosystem is based on a food cycle that
includes plants, herbivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous and microbes. Different
species perform different roles in the food chain and if one step of the chain
is hindered or eliminated the whole cycle will collapse. For instant, if
herbivorous animal is extinct in an ecosystem, the population of plants would
increase exponentially and the carnivorous animal would starve to death. Later
when carnivorous species are extinct the microbes would not exist anymore. That
would ultimately decline the plant population, because of lack of assistance of
external pollinating agents.
Nevertheless, we know
extinction and survival of species is the backbone of evolution. However, the
natural course of evolution should not be affected by human intervention, as it
has been in past century. Extinction of dinosaurs was a natural phenomenon but,
endangered status of tigers is solely caused by destruction of habitat and
global climatic changes. Had it been a natural phenomenon we might have had no
concern associated and the fittest would have survived as per the natural law.
Since the present day elimination of the species is not natural selection we
must try to save the species of animal and plants that have reached endangered
status due to human intervention, despite of the cost associated to protect
natural reservoir.
However prevention is a better
cure. Thus, finding ways to reduce carbon emission, controlling population and
stopping habitat destruction would reduce the cost associated in long run. As
far as efforts are concern, there is plenty of wastage that we do on war,
tobacco and porn industries. If we consider the cost associated with it, it is
worth as far as well-being and sustainability of life is concern.
Ultimately, climatic changes,
destruction of forest land and pollution are the causes associated with
extinction of species in present times and unfortunately they are caused by
humans. Thus, to conclude human intervention with nature would unbalance the
unique ecological balance and would in turn affect sustainability of humans.
Hence society should try to save plant and animal that has been endangered
because of human intervention, despite the expense to humans in effort, time
and money for mankind’s own well-being.
