Understanding Caribbean mammal extinctions of the past spurs renewed focus on conservation

[rangerrebew]

Understanding Caribbean mammal extinctions of the past spurs renewed focus on conservation

Date:
    August 23, 2017
Source:
    Johns Hopkins Medicine
Summary:
    Paleontologists report they have clear evidence that the arrival of humans and subsequent human activity throughout the islands of the Caribbean were likely the primary causes of the extinction of native mammal species there. The evidence, they say, highlights the need for urgent human intervention to protect the native mammal species still inhabiting the region.
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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170823121419.htm

[dfwgator]

"Lemme tell ya bout endangered species, awright? Saving endangered species is just one more arrogant attempt by humans to control Nature. It’s arrogant meddling. It’s what got us in trouble in the first place. Doesn’t anybody understand that? Interfering with Nature. Over 90 percent, over, way over 90 percent, of the species that have ever lived on this planet, ever lived, are gone. Wooosh! They’re extinct. We didn’t kill them all. They just disappeared. That’s what nature does. They disappear these days at the rate of 25 a day—and I mean regardless of our behavior. Irrespective of how we act on this planet, 25 species that were here today will be gone tomorrow. Let them go gracefully. Leave Nature alone. Haven’t we done enough? We’re so self-important, so self-important. Everybody’s gonna save something now. Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save those snails. And the greatest arrogance of all, save the planet. What? Are these ....... people kidding me? Save the planet? We don’t even know how to take care of ourselves yet. We haven’t learned to care for one another—we’re gonna save the ......’ planet? I’m gettin’ tired of that ..... Tired of that ...... Tired."


-George Carlin

[Wingnut]

If it’s true that our species is alone in the universe, then I’d have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little.

[Polly Ticks]

I will selflessly volunteer to go spend an extended period of time in the Caribbean in order to study this issue more thoroughly.

[Cyber Liberty]

"Lemme tell ya bout endangered species, awright? Saving endangered species is just one more arrogant attempt by humans to control Nature. It’s arrogant meddling. It’s what got us in trouble in the first place. Doesn’t anybody understand that? Interfering with Nature. Over 90 percent, over, way over 90 percent, of the species that have ever lived on this planet, ever lived, are gone. Wooosh! They’re extinct. We didn’t kill them all. They just disappeared. That’s what nature does. They disappear these days at the rate of 25 a day—and I mean regardless of our behavior. Irrespective of how we act on this planet, 25 species that were here today will be gone tomorrow. Let them go gracefully. Leave Nature alone. Haven’t we done enough? We’re so self-important, so self-important. Everybody’s gonna save something now. Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save those snails. And the greatest arrogance of all, save the planet. What? Are these ....... people kidding me? Save the planet? We don’t even know how to take care of ourselves yet. We haven’t learned to care for one another—we’re gonna save the ......’ planet? I’m gettin’ tired of that ..... Tired of that ...... Tired."


-George Carlin

"The planet's not going anywhere...WE are."