Endangered Species at Mammoth Cave

What difference does it make if an animal disappears from the wild environment? What difference does it make if we lose some biodiversity? If makes a lot of difference. Cultures and their economies are dependent upon functioning ecosystems; the history of human civilization is littered with tragedies caused by ecological collapse, and we are no more exempt than they were. Biological diversity in an ecosystem makes it more stable and resilient in times of stress such as drought. In other words, the ecosystem can bounce back from bad times. As a matter of immediate practicality, clean air and water come from intact ecosystems, and many new drugs to fight diseases are discovered in species of no apparent economic value.

Isn't extinction a natural process anyway? Certainly. But the loss of species through extinction is balanced by the creation of new species so that biological diversity in a given ecosystem is maintained and we are destroying species at a rate too great for nature to keep up with. Our species is part of the family of life on Earth, and we need to act accordingly. If they go, we go.

Listing Codes

Plants

Animals

Unionids (Mussels)

Crustaceans

Fishes

Reptiles

Birds

Mammals