- In 1973, the U.S Congress passed the Endangered Species Act.
- powerful environmental law in the world, stipulated eligibility for protection for all non pest species, from bald eagles to beetles.
- In late 1980s, endangered-species proposed listings of the northern spotted owl and some salmon varieties threatened the economic interests of powerful timber and fishing industries, setting off a series of political and legal attempts to weaken the law.
- “The environmental community was always unwilling to talk about triage, Even though they knew it was going on, they were unwilling to talk about it".
- the EDGE (Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered) of Existence program run by the Zoological Society of London argues for prioritizing species at the genomic level, an approach we might call “evolution first.”
- As climate change, population expansion and other global pressures on biodiversity continue more and more species are likely to require heroic measures for survival.
- In the U.S., legal scholars have suggested ways of reforming the Endangered Species Act to reckon with this reality—to help the law bend instead of break under political pressure.
- Conservation groups can no longer protect as many animals and plants as they have in the past.
Summary:
In the Conservation groups can no longer save and protect as many animals and plants as there are in the past. So they started to debate which species to save to live and which species to leave to die.
In the Conservation groups can no longer save and protect as many animals and plants as there are in the past. So they started to debate which species to save to live and which species to leave to die.