When I read stuff like this, I can’t help but think this is not about protecting a species as much as it is an anti-development tactic:
Western environmentalists are suing the federal government, claiming promises by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to whittle down a backlog of plants and animals being considered for endangered species protection amount to “smoke and mirrors” and hundreds of species need protection now.
WildEarth Guardians alleges Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who oversees the Fish and Wildlife Service, has failed to act on petitions seeking protection for 681 species across a dozen western and midwestern states.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., contends many of the species – ranging from butterflies and snails to grasshoppers and cactus – could face extinction if action isn’t taken.
“In a world that’s bombarded by climate change, pollution, habitat destruction and human over-population, clearly few of our rare species are going to be secure in the long term,” Nicole Rosmarino, director of WildEarth Guardians’ wildlife program, said Monday. “That’s the basis for the petition.”
I’m glad Ms. Rosamarino just lumped “climate change, pollution, habitat destruction and human over-population” all together. Those are all buzzwords which in the grand scheme of things mean absolutely nothing, but give certain people a reason for being.
[Side Note: Ok, on that last link I’m reaching a bit, but I thought the site was pretty funny (hat tip: NewMexiKen) and although the blogger hasn’t done a post on these buzzwords, I’m sure it is not too far off in the future.]
Sometimes, you just got to shake your head and wonder if these people have ever looked back over the history of the world. It seems to me that huge numbers of species have come and gone (think dinosaurs) without the earth coming to an end. I’m sure the world as we know it will not come to an end if we have one less species of butterflies, snails, grasshoppers or cactus on the planet.
But, hey that’s just one man’s opinion.