Endangered Species Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Endangered Species - Research Paper ExampleThe present crisis of endangered species is distinctive in that the failure of biodiversity is happening rapidly, and the main font of the catastrophe is the activities of human beings. Some scholars such as Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold and Elisabet Sahtouris believe that the current crisis persists because of lack of ethical responsibility and failure to connect with the environment in the purpose of humans (Benson and Rob 188). One of the most endangered species that are cladding extinction is the rhino species found in Africa and Asia. The Rhino population in the two continents is roughly 29,000 surviving in the world. This is a massive difference from the population of rhinos at the beginning of the 20th century standing at 500,000 rhinos. For instance, in Africa there are 20,000 white rhinos and 4,880 black rhinos. In Asia, however, the statistics are more alarming as there are only 2,850 great one-horned rhinos, 200 Sumatran r hino and 50 Javan rhino. There are only seven northern white rhinos living in the world (Rhino Info n.d). With then rhino, facing distinction in the future is inevitable that governments form laws that protect this endangered specie from human hunters who kill them for their horns, as well as meat. The illegal rhino horn hunt has been the biggest human activity that has led to a drastic decline of the rhino species instigated by the illegal rhino horn trade, political conflict, as well as habitat loss. The rhino is loosely valued for production of Chinese medicine and poaching is the greatest menace facing rhino today. The horns are also used to construct ornamental handles for stiletto in Yemen one of the main markets of the rhino horns from Africa (Rhino Info n.d). In some areas, where normal law and order has collapsed mostly in war zones, and where political instability exists, poachers have found it easier to kill the rhinos, thus endangering them as well as other species. For example, poaching of rhino has been ascent in DRC, Nepal and Zimbabwe due to political conflicts (Rhino Info n.d). The basic issue in environmental ethics is whether there can be a non-anthropocentric environmental ethic, which is a foundation for right ant and wrong activities concerning the environment, which is not ground exclusively in human fears. Most people claim that ethics is only based on anthropocentric environment. According to Benson and Rob (188) environmental ethics involves animal rights theories and biocentrism theories as well as egocentric theories. This entails that sentient animals, individual living things and conservation systems have moral standings respectfully. Leopold held that most ecological problems were because of ignorance, and understood that his own his own capability to recognize how environment works were the consequence long education and observation. However, in the current contemporary world, where environmental education and policies are pr otecting biodiversity ignorance has no room. It is irresponsible for instance, to cut down trees from indigenous forests, which are at, risk of extinction for logs, save there are alternative means of producing similar tools without having to render tree populations extinct (Bagheera n.d). Leopold grew in a culture where concealed land ownership was part of the dream of America. However, this caused