The allowance of trophy hunting of endangered species is ultimately causing ecosystems to perish resulting in a degraded planet that other beings, humans included, need in order to survive.  Without them, there is no us.

Keystone species like the North American wolf and African elephant help maintain the biodiversity needed in an ecosystem that no other species can provide.  Without them, the ecosystem will dramatically change or even cease to exist.  

But why does that matter to us? 

It matters because healthy ecosystems provide the planet with oxygen, store carbon, help keep our waters clean, 

To further this point, when the bigger keystone species like the elephant, wolf, or bear are diminished or removed from their respective ecosystem, a phenomenon occurs called the down trophic cascade effect.  This cascade results in a major downgrade of that ecosystem.  

For example, when wolves were eradicated from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, elk overgrazed the land which did not allow the time or space for the native plants to grow.  This heavily impacted the wetland areas where the lack of wetland plants failed to anchor valuable soil and sediments which also caused lake and river temperatures to rise. This consequently resulted in a loss of fish, beaver, and songbird populations.  

When the wolf was reintroduced to the park, the elk population, which had more than doubled in the wolves’ absence, started to fall. With fewer elk grazing, the grass, shrubs, and trees grew. Willows returned to the river banks, which gave beavers more material for their dams, which in turn created habitats for the songbirds…

Right now, we need the social and political commitment to provide these endangered species, many of whom are also keystone species, the protection they need in order to survive and thrive.  As we do so, these beings will return the favor and continue to maintain the biodiversity needed to keep our planet healthy because last time I checked, there is no PLANet B.  

As stated in the journal article in Bioscience; “Saving the World's Terrestrial Megafauna” by Ripple, William J. et al, 

“In order to save declining species, there is a need to increase global conservation funding by at least an order of magnitude (McCarthy et al. 2012). Without such a transformation, there is a risk that many of the world's most iconic species may not survive to the twenty-second century. We must not go quietly into this impoverished future.”

Please sign and share this petition to ban trophy hunting of endangered species.

Photo by M L on Unsplash