Facts About Threatened Species
Why should we care about them?
Perceptions about threatened species
There are many different perceptions and attitudes about threatened species.
I would like to think that most people have a positive conception of them.
The term has been widely used throughout the world by different institutions and organizations as it offers a way to show the possible consequences of human actions if society does not act to reverse the current global biodiversity crisis.
However, there is also the misconception that threatened species can be obstacles to the economy and development.
Imagine you are a politician who wants to build the largest highway in the world that will improve the economy of your country, but, unfortunately, you would have to destroy the habitat of many threatened species.
Probably your project would need to be rethought and so, it takes more time and money to finish it (assuming you are interested in sustainable development).
Many people might also argue that if it will take a lot of effort to save threatened species, and there is not much we can do to reverse their situation, why should we care about them?
This latter judgment may lack full empathy for the environment and seem ethically questionable, however, it remains a valid question in decision making.
We can go further and ask if there is a utilitarian reason to protect threatened species. Are they really important for society, the economy, or the environment?
The truth, dear reader, is that there is no generalizable answer to this last question, however, that does not necessarily mean that we shouldn’t save them.
But let’s start with the basics, what are the threatened species, and what are they used for?
The role of the threatened species in conservation planning
The concept of threatened species is a conservation tool that emerged due to the need for producing scientific information on the current status and trends of biodiversity.
To address the current global crisis of biodiversity loss, we need to know what is being lost, where it is disappearing the fastest, and what are the causes of this decline [1].
Inventories or lists that aim to quantify the risk of species extinction provide information on many of these issues and help us guide what actions should be taken to protect and restore species and their habitats [2].
There are many different lists and types of evaluations for species trends, however, the IUCN red list is probably the most famous.
The term “threatened species” often refers to any species listed as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), or Vulnerable (VU) in the IUCN categories or analogous in any other red list.
There are many ways to evaluate extinction risk, but most of them are based on population dynamics and the species range size [2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
In the case of the IUCN, the threat categories provide an assessment of the probability that, under current circumstances, the species will be extinct within 10 and 100 years [ 2, 5, 7].
Threatened species are an important component of conservation planning as one criterion for setting spatial priorities.
The use of lists and categories allows these species to be easily incorporated into legislation and to optimize the investment of the limited conservation resources available by acting where they are most needed [8, 9].
Information on threatened species is useful in the design of protected areas or to guide the development of public policies in favor of the environment.
Importance and uses of threatened species
Threatened species have largely been used by institutions and associations to increase society’s environmental awareness. They are particularly useful for promoting support for biodiversity conservation.
Some threatened species are used as flagship species, symbols that produce empathy with the environment and can stimulate people to provide money or social support [10].
Rhinos, giant pandas, and axolotls are considered flagship species.
Some threatened species play a crucial role in their ecosystems (often referred to as keystone species). Wolves, for example, are apex predators that allow the coexistence of many species and indirectly regulate the water cycle.
African elephants also are frequently mentioned in a similar category due to they have a huge impact on their environment (ecosystem engineers).
Elephants’ habit of uprooting trees and bushes can transform savannah into grassland and indirectly, regulate the tsetse fly population (Glossina spp.), which are vectors of sleeping sickness.
Threatened species and sustainable development
Lists of threatened species have great scientific, political, and public relevance.
As conservationists (scientists) debate how many species are threatened, where they were found, how fast they are approaching extinction, and what to do to protect them, decision-makers (politicians) seek guidance on how best to set priorities to protect species and the public seeks information about why other living things are disappearing, what our role is in the process and what each individual can do to help [2].
However, it is necessary to remember that threatened species are only one conservation criterion that interacts with many others in decision-making.
A system for setting priorities for conservation actions not only includes the likelihood of extinction of the species, but also will also embrace economic, political, and logistical considerations [2, 8, 9].
Furthermore, the fact that a species is listed as threatened does not always mean that its conservation should be prioritized or its exploitation prohibited [7, 11].
Trade of endangered species should be allowed as long as the species is not critically endangered and it is shown that their population can be adequately managed to avoid extinction [12].
Conservation decisions and priorities have to be made in favor of sustainable development. That not only means that we cannot guide our decisions only by the conservation status of species, but also by the needs of people.
The good news is that sustainable development also recognizes the importance of ecosystems for well-being over money.
Furthermore, it is impossible to see threatened species as isolated elements since they are part of an ecological system in which everything is connected.
This last point gives us reason to be concerned about threatened species even if there is no utilitarian reason to justify the conservation of all of them.
Not only as conservation tools but also as ecosystems components with intrinsic value that interact with other species and indirectly, provide us with well-being.
You can find more information about threatened species in the following links: [2, 5].
Let me know your opinion in the comments.
If you enjoy reading stories like these and want to support me as a writer, you can follow me on Medium.
You can also get your Medium Membership through my referral link.
See also:
