From the majestic blue whales of the South Pacific Ocean, to the Giant Pandas in mainland china, we are always at awe when viewing such magnificent animals in the wild. Their day to day lives are featured in national television shows such as Discovery channel and National Geographic. This has inspired many to take on the cause of conservation and protection for most of our planet's endangered species. With so much enthusiasm placed towards the conservation of such species, one must wonder, why do we protect them so? Aren't they just big lumbering animals or small exotic animals that are mostly meant for display?
The main reason behind the conservation of the endangered species of our planet lies within the very balance of our planet's ecosystem. Everything in this world, from the mighty blue whale to the tiny bacteria living within our intestines, exists for a reason. For example, the native Alabama round rocksnail is crucial to the ecosystem of the river, but the population of such snails has declined over the century from the introduction of dam building and even other invasive snails species.
Another good reason to save endangered species is in the whole legacy an endangered species carries. Imagine a life in where we tell stories of brave and majestic tigers to our children only to have them imagine tigers as legendary creatures told in stories rather than real live animals. It would take away many of our culture's important values. For example, the tiger is used in Malaysia's emblem as a symbol of bravery. The majestic hornbill too is deeply rooted in the culture of the natives living within the land of Borneo. Imagine a whole culture destroyed and ruined all because of the disappearance of one species.
Endangered animals are also very important part in the advancement of our biological research. Not much is known from endangered species, so much so, that they have the potential to help and assist us in our continuous search for a cure to most of our deadly diseases. For example, tiger bones were once known to have a cooling effect and medicinal element to it. This is true also for the rhinoceros horn which has medicinal value to it and is sought out by most illegal poachers. Without such animals, we would lose much more than just the opportunity to look at these animals.
The final reason in conserving the endangered animal species lies within our own morality. We share the planet with all the species in the world and should live harmoniously with them. Yet we plunder all these riches and mistreat the very environment that has sustained us. What kind of message would that bring to our new generation? That their predecessors were greedy, heartless creatures that took whatever they please and not know the consequence? Our very legacy that we were to leave to our new generation would collapse under such negative image.
With that said, the endangered species of the world, be it large creatures or tiny microbes, should be as precious to us as our own legacies such as the Eiffel Tower and the leaning tower of Pisa. After all, let's not forget the mistake we made with the previous endangered species such as the dodo bird and the many others that have been wiped out, and let's move on to protect all the species left.
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