Endangered species (Of plant or animal ) plays a central role

Plants and animals maintain the health of an ecosystem. And, when Species become endangered it’s a sign that an ecosystem is out of balance. But why does this matter?

Well, ecosystem are groups of plants and animals that are found in the same area and interact with each other. These interactions make up and maintain the environments we know today – like rainforests, mountains and savannahs. 

But the balance within an ecosystem isn’t always easy to maintain: the loss of one species often triggers the loss of others. 

In United States’ Yellowstone National Park, beaver populations also decreased significantly. 

This happened because elk populations that were usually hunted by wolves, were able to graze freely and more heavily on the plants that were also needed by beavers to survive during winter.

But did you know that the conservation of endangered species helps to restore the balance in ecosystems and is important for humans too? Let’s find out how. 

THE BENEFITS OF CONSERVING ENDANGERED SPECIES

A well-balanced ecosystem maintains the health of the environment. This ensures that human beings have access to clean air and water, and fertile land for agriculture.

Clean air and water improves our quality of life, and fertile land for agriculture ensures that we can produce enough food for consumption. A balanced ecosystem also provides us with plants that have medicinal properties .

So, when ecosystems aren’t maintained, our health can be affected too. That’s why when you add to the conservation of endangered species, you’re also contributing towards the well-being of all people.

Do you want to know how?

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES

Although there are many endangered species across the globe, there are also lots of efforts underway to conserve them.

Governments, non-profit organisations, international organisations, local communities, and individuals are working together to contribute towards growing the populations of endangered species. 

They’re also building on awareness campaigns that are aimed at getting even more people involved in vital conservation work.

As an individual, you can make an impact by learning about, and raising awareness of, endangered species in your area and across the world.

A sustainable way,to do this is to get involved as a volunteer and partner with governments and organisations on existing conservation projects.

This is a great way to learn about wildlife conservation, and gain hands-on, professional field experience. These practical skills will boost your resume for a career in sustainable development. And if you have a different career in mind, you’ll still pick up other valuable skills like teamwork and leadership

Sociopolitical actions undertaken to preserve endangered species and their natural habitats often conflict with human economic interests. In fact, efforts to protect an endangered species usually require an economic sacrifice from the very business or government that threatened the plant or animal in the first place. It is necessary, therefore, to define endangered species in terms of their aesthetic, practical, and economic value for humans. Preservation of endangered species is important and practical for a number of reasons: (1) organisms other than humans have intrinsic moral and ethical value, and a natural right to exist, (2) many plants and animals have an established economic value, as is the case of domesticated species, and exploited wildlife like deer, salmon, and trees, (3) other species, including undiscovered medicinal plants and potential agricultural species, have as-yet unknown economic value, and (4) most species play a critical role in maintaining the health and integrity of their ecosystem, and are therefore indirectly important to human welfare. Such ecological roles include nutrient cycling, pest and weed control, species population regulation, cleansing chemical and organic pollution from water and air, erosion control, production of atmospheric oxygen ,and removal of carbon oxide.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA), passed in 1973, was enacted to halt the rapid loss of plant and animal life. Frequently referred to as the “crown jewel” of our nation’s environmental laws, the ESA has been responsible for saving many species formerly on the brink of extinction, including the bald eagle, gray wolf and California sea otter. The ESA is the only piece of environmental legislation to date that does not demand a cost-benefit analysis before going into action, making it uniquely effective. Once a species is declared threatened or endangered, the ESA ensures that it will be protected and all efforts will be made to assist in its recovery.

The Endangered Species Act is not just our strongest environmental law – it also articulates a noble vision. In it, for the first time in world history, the legislators of a great nation said that it would do everything in its power to prevent the extinction of any species within its border.

Why is it so important for us to protect species?

1. ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

Healthy ecosystems depend on plant and animal species as their foundations. When a species becomes endangered, it is a sign that the ecosystem is slowly falling apart. Each species that is lost triggers the loss of other species within its ecosystem. Humans depend on healthy ecosystems to purify our environment. Without healthy forests, grasslands, rivers, oceans and other ecosystems, we will not have clean air, water, or land. If we allow our environment to become contaminated, we risk our own health.

2. MEDICAL

Over 50% of the 150 most prescribed medicines were originally derived from a plant or other natural product. Unfortunately, only about 5% of known plant species have been tested for medicinal uses and there are thousands of plant species that have yet to be identified. Tens of thousands of Americans die every year from illnesses for which there is no known cure. The cures for these diseases may eventually come from plants, therefore, we must protect all species before they are lost forever from nature’s medicine cabinet.

3. AESTHETIC/RECREATIONAL

The American tourism industry is dependent on plant and animal species and their ecosystems for their multi-billion dollar, job-intensive industry. Every year, millions of people visit natural areas in the US and participate in wildlife related activities. From woodland hikes to beach going, outdoor activities are the second most popular travel activity (Travel Industry Association of America). The U.S. Park Service logs over 200 million visitors to our National Parks every year. The local economies of these areas

benefit greatly from activities associated with these visits. The preservation of our nation’s biological diversity is an immensely important facet to the survival of the travel industry.

4. AGRICULTURAL

Agriculture also plays an important role in the protection of species, farmers are often seen as the original conservationists. Many farmers set aside portions of their land as wildlife habitat and also work in partnership with groups such as Trout Unlimited to restore river and stream habitats for endangered and threatened fish and reptiles. In addition, wild relatives of common crops contain important genetic material needed to maintain these crops. These relatives can be used to ensure crops are disease-resistant while providing information for developing new crops that can grow in less than adequate lands.