Why Is It Important to Save Endangered Animals?
Aside from the fact that an array of animal species makes life on earth more interesting, protecting endangered species has important health benefits to humans. In particular, animals fit into the well-established ecological food chain, and extinction causes a disruption to natural order, according to the National Wildlife Federation.
When an animal goes extinct, it is gone forever. Even if people do not yet know the direct benefits a certain species offers, it is important to preserve that species to allow for further research. Within the food chain, predators help maintain balanced populations of other types of animals. This balance is important to produce the healthy vegetation and adequate water supplies, which humans rely on. If one species is lost, it can create a domino effect in the animal kingdom, which causes threats to other species’ populations.
Some protected animals are important to scientific research on certain diseases that impact people and animals. Preserving these species allows researchers to study them in their natural habitats. This research is helpful in understanding the interaction among animal species and between animals and the environment.
Protecting endangered animals also provides a self-indulgent benefit to humans, as some animal species could provide additional food sources once their populations are restored to safe levels.
