Global Warming

[Ozme52]

Ozme says: Species come and species go.

How indifferent is that? OK I guess a few -raptors polished off several different kinds of -suaruses. And maybe an unheard of breed of antelope is beyond our ken because the sabre-toothed tiger got to it first. And I've heard of an incident where a single cat was responsible for wiping our the entire population of (unique?) birds on a small island. But I think no other breed of animal is responsible for the extermination of so many other species as is mankind. (I suspect we were even responsible for the extermination of the neandthals, our cousins.)

Man comes and species go is perhaps a better way of putting it.

3. Yes, I concede, Ozme was right - species do come and go. But that misses the point. Just because it happens for other reasons does not ameliorate mankind's negligent or wilful destruction of the many, many known species and untold numbers of unknown ones. As noted above, asteroids, ice ages and other natural disaters are not animal. Mankind is animal, and sentient, and. most importantly, conscious of the effects of what he does. Furthermore he is not instictively compelled to destroy his environment. He is just out of control. So, although Ozme was right, I was righter.

Right. I wasn't even referring to species impacted since the advent of mankind. Literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of species have "walked" the earth and disappeared long before man appeared.

In fact, we are the only species to ever actually go out if its way to save another species. Quite a few in fact. Some, in huge numbers if you consider certain botanical varieties.

We are also the only species to create new species, (or at least varients.) Domestication of certain animals and the hybridization of many food plants.

So while we have been all together too efficient as predators and consumers of biomass... does that make us villians? We are just as natural and just as entitled to be here as any other species. If, by our actions, we make ourselves unviable, then we too will pass as a species... and the specie(s) that descend from us will comment on and possibly lament our passing.