Question

Whyshould humans save endangered animals from extinction?

Answer 1

For Ecological, Medicinal, Aesthetic and Financial reasons.

Explanation:

Before I start this, just note that I will use any animal as an example, even if not currently endangered. This is because any animal could become endangered, and so humans should conserve all animals.

Lets start with aesthetics. When you look at the wide range of life on this planet, it is hard to not see at least one species as cute, beautiful or amazing. By not conserving these species, which include endangered animals, a little bit of beauty leaves the world, which we don't want to happen, thus we should save them.

Next we look at the medicinal aspect. Some animal and plant species harbour life-saving properties, as is shown in this article . If we let them go extinct, hundreds or thousands of people may die or live in pain because modern technology hasn't caught up to these species healing powers.

Now for probably the most important reason, that of ecology. At the base level, there are the autotrophs, which are the photosynthesizing plankton and plants of our world, which make up the majority of species. Next come the vegetarian first-order heterotrophs, such as cows and caterpillars, and after that come the second, third, fourth-and-so-on-level heterotrophs, who eat each other. Each of these levels of species exist in a very precise balance, being neither too big nor too small in size, and thus our Earth's ecosystem is created.

Remove even one of these species, and disaster ensue. For instance, lets take the humble bumblebee. It doesn't do much, does it? All it does is pollinate flowers. But wait. Remove the bumblebee, and the flowers don't pollinate, which stops seeds and fruit from going. Just like that, you've removed the food source for countless insects and bugs, and when they start dying out, the predators who eat them start to die out too. This cycle continues all the way to the highest trophic level until the ecosystem somehow rebalances itself... or it collapses.

When this happens, humans are greatly affected. Just like that, most fruit, vegetables and seeds are no longer available for consumption. Bees pollinate 70 of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140502-what-if-bees-went-extinct
Soon a global crisis will emerge, as millions of people go hungry.

With limited food, this would obviously cause huge financial problems as well. All in all, it is extremely beneficial for the human race to save endangered species.

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150715-why-save-an-endangered-species