fishing-cat

Today is Endangered Species Day!  Learn more about it here.

So what does this day mean to us as humans?  This is a very important subject which will be extensively covered throughout time on this blog.

One of the most important things though is the fact that every species is important to the web of life.  Every one plays its part in the environment, and none is truly insignificant.

The preservation of biodiversity is incredibly important not only just in principle, but it provides for the human race in ways that may not be realized, fathomed, or considered.  Check this out for a quick lesson about what we gain from preserving a biologically-diverse world.

But it’s not all about us - the entire planet and all that’s living within it relies on it.

So consider this…  When just one species goes extinct, the web of life that it supports gets out of balance, thereby affecting many other important processes and aspects of the given ecosystem in which it resided.

Many entities were screaming “drill baby drill” during last year’s election cycle.  Some critics were scoffing at the notion that anyone would want to keep The Alaska National Wildlife Refuge off-limits from drilling into a relatively insignificant oil resource just because of those pesky polar bears being a threatened species.  How dare we let them stand in the way of our precious oil!

But do we dare treat species as being expendable?  Do we really want to dare to continue with our species’ thirst for rampant environmental degradation in our supposed “progress.”

I’m afraid that our 20th century experiment has produced results that cannot be acceptable any longer in terms of the environment.  Do we dare continue in the same direction throughout the 21st century?  Or, do we dare to do something different?  Do we dare to live with nature, rather than continue to try to live above it?

We must try to keep the remainder of the earth’s biodiversity and species intact, so that the intricate and most beautiful web of life that makes our world such an awe-inspiring and inhabitable place does not further unravel.  We must learn more about our role in the natural world.

Check back frequently for posts about this expansive subject, and for great photos of some of the world’s most endangered species!  Would anyone really want to see creatures this beautiful die off forever?

Consider also taking some time to check out the website of the World Wildlife Federation, and please, if you can, consider making an online donation to them as well.

HAPPY ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY!

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