IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Etheridge, M. | |
| Conserving biodiversity: a reformed CITES in an integrated approach | |
| 1995 Series | |
The Earth is currently experiencing a loss of species rivaled only five other times in our planet's history. In the past, such dramatic rates of extinction were due to natural causes. This time however, the cause of these extinctions is due to one species - Homo sapiens (Kauffman, 1986) It has been estimated that between the years 1600 and 1900, the extinction arte of mammals and birds was approximately one every four years; this rate had increased to one per year by 1986. Presently, as many as one hundred species are lost per day, meaning that man is destroying Earth's biological diversity before it can be identified, much less understood for its function or value. The local and global benefits derived from Earth's biological resources warrant international efforts to promote their sustainable use. Existing institutions that aim to slow the loss of these resources are insufficient; they must be reformed and augmented. The most effective strategies for conserving biodiversity, however, are likely to be those developed at the local level. Addressing the plight of endangered species and, more importantly, the underlying threats to their survival, requires a concerted effort on international, national and local levels. Three principles should be employed in these efforts; conservation in place or preservation; ecosystem protection, rather than species protection; and the creation of communal resources from common resources. |
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