To Save A Species.
Posted: 2009.05.09 (09:58)
I was watching an episode of 20/20 about the endangered species list.
Basically to sum it up they concluded that the best way to save a species is to make it a profitable market to humans. That is to say, "We have to hunt, eat, and trade endangered animals in order to save them." The theory here is that if you make the market valuable to humans, humans will naturally protect their product. Through protecting their product, the species will be saved. Giving humans an incentive (i.e. profit) naturally protects the product.
Proof in Concept:
Rhino's in Southern Africa. The government allowed land owners to own the Rhino's in order for profit in tourism. The land owners protect their product from poachers, and the Rhino's population has been on the rise. Governments initially tried to ban all poaching of Rhino's, but without a reason to protect the Rhino's it did little good. What has proven to be successful by example is in fact letting the land owners own the rhino in their enclosed areas. Suddenly each landowner had a profit to lose. They did whatever necessary to keep the Rhino's alive (i.e. protecting from poachers, who are not so to say, "playing by the rules.") They don't tolerate poaching because they want to keep their income source alive. It is the same with elephants in Botswana.
Bison in Montana in the early 20th century: Millions once roamed in North America, and in the early 1900's they were almost extinct. No ranchers had an incentive to protect them. People just killed them and sold their hides. Solution: People began to claim Bison, by eating them and selling them. Ranchers closed them in to protect from other trappers encroaching on their product. They are thriving now that they has become a product, and people care for their product. There are now half a million Bison in North America.
Tigers bones in China are thought to have medicinal value for regular aches and pains, and it is the common treatment. International Law has placed bans on owning, hunting, or using Tigers for profit. More than 2000 tigers still live in the wild. Is it just that thousands more have vanished because there are bans? The demand is there from the public in China that can only be satiated by poachers, who are otherwise uncaring of how many Tigers are killed. Would it not just be that farming Tigers would meet the demand?
Does America have anywhere near a shortage of chickens, beef, pork? No. All these species have been protected through the ideals of making a profit. It is all because people have a reason to protect them that they thrive. If we make animals a marketable product, they will be saved. Where you profit from animals, animals thrive.
Is believing that farming (including hunting, eating, and otherwise using) animals and creating a market of it will save them magical thinking, you decide.
Basically to sum it up they concluded that the best way to save a species is to make it a profitable market to humans. That is to say, "We have to hunt, eat, and trade endangered animals in order to save them." The theory here is that if you make the market valuable to humans, humans will naturally protect their product. Through protecting their product, the species will be saved. Giving humans an incentive (i.e. profit) naturally protects the product.
Proof in Concept:
Rhino's in Southern Africa. The government allowed land owners to own the Rhino's in order for profit in tourism. The land owners protect their product from poachers, and the Rhino's population has been on the rise. Governments initially tried to ban all poaching of Rhino's, but without a reason to protect the Rhino's it did little good. What has proven to be successful by example is in fact letting the land owners own the rhino in their enclosed areas. Suddenly each landowner had a profit to lose. They did whatever necessary to keep the Rhino's alive (i.e. protecting from poachers, who are not so to say, "playing by the rules.") They don't tolerate poaching because they want to keep their income source alive. It is the same with elephants in Botswana.
Bison in Montana in the early 20th century: Millions once roamed in North America, and in the early 1900's they were almost extinct. No ranchers had an incentive to protect them. People just killed them and sold their hides. Solution: People began to claim Bison, by eating them and selling them. Ranchers closed them in to protect from other trappers encroaching on their product. They are thriving now that they has become a product, and people care for their product. There are now half a million Bison in North America.
Tigers bones in China are thought to have medicinal value for regular aches and pains, and it is the common treatment. International Law has placed bans on owning, hunting, or using Tigers for profit. More than 2000 tigers still live in the wild. Is it just that thousands more have vanished because there are bans? The demand is there from the public in China that can only be satiated by poachers, who are otherwise uncaring of how many Tigers are killed. Would it not just be that farming Tigers would meet the demand?
Does America have anywhere near a shortage of chickens, beef, pork? No. All these species have been protected through the ideals of making a profit. It is all because people have a reason to protect them that they thrive. If we make animals a marketable product, they will be saved. Where you profit from animals, animals thrive.
Is believing that farming (including hunting, eating, and otherwise using) animals and creating a market of it will save them magical thinking, you decide.
