Priceless or worthless?

A report released on September 11, 2012 lists the 100 most endangered animals, plants and fungi around the globe, as chosen by 8,000 experts for the Zoological Society of London and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The report poses the question: are they priceless or worthless?

The question was raised because the species closest to extinction don't have an obvious economic value to mankind and yet some, especially the experts, would argue for their protection.

Are they worth saving? Join the discussion on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/taypopsin) and send us your opinion at taypopsin@gmail.com. We will share your comments on our podcast, Ta Yp’Opsin this coming Sunday, September 16, from 10:00 p.m. to midnight (CST) at http://www.chicagogreekradio.com.
The podcast becomes available for download on Mondays after its broadcast (link posted on these pages).



The pgymy three-toed sloth is native to an island off Panama. Fewer than 500 are thought to be left.

(Photo credit: Craig Turner / Zoological Society of London)

Here is the full report:

http://static.zsl.org/files/priceless-or-worthless-final-wq-2040.pdf

"The donor community and conservation movement are leaning increasingly towards a 'what can nature do for us' approach, where species and wild habitats are valued and prioritized according to the services they provide for people," Jonathan Bailie, conservation director at the Zoological Society of London, said in a statement issued with the report.

"This has made it increasingly difficult for conservationists to protect the most threatened species on the planet," he added. "We have an important moral and ethical decision to make: Do these species have a right to survive or do we have a right to drive them to extinction?"