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Stop The Endangered Species Act Of 1974

Decent Essays

Kasey Ryan
Professor Curran
English 151-06
9 September 2015
Stop Hunting Endangered Animals 51,147 is the shocking number of animals considered endangered throughout the world (www.statisticbrain.com). The Endangered Species Act of 1974 classified endangerment as an instance when “animals [are] in danger of becoming extinct” (fws.gov). This act protects the animal’s habitat, prevents the hunting of some species, and attempts to create plans to restore habitats if they are destroyed. This act protects over 1400 species in the United States (www.endangered.org). The Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species, which aids in protection of the animals on the international trade market, has been signed by 181 countries. This act …show more content…

Before time runs out, animals require better protection from human interference and hunting as both actions violate animal rights and impedes efforts of wildlife conservation. The African lion, the polar bear, the African elephant, the black rhino, the Oryx, the grizzly bear, and hippo are just a few critically endangered species that are still being hunted throughout the world. By endangering animals, humans violate their most basic rights. Although animals are considered to have numerous rights, the most important is their right to life. In an article from the BBC, animal rights are listed. They include, “no experiments on animals, no breeding and killing animals for specific purpose, no hunting…” and no imprisonment of any animal, endangered or not (http://www.bbc.co.uk). Most of the endangered animal’s rights are being violated because there are few laws prohibiting hunting in their natural habitats. If laws are in place, the hunters simply trespass, and the consequences is usually just a fine. Most species are being hunted …show more content…

For example, on a Texas ranch where they raise Oryx, an endangered type of antelope, a hunter named Paul says he hunts them because “The money that I spend to hunt these animals keeps these animals alive on these ranches.” (60 minutes 1) In reality, how can hunting really save a species? Trophy hunters “…kill thousands of exotic wild animals, representing hundreds of different species, in foreign countries, primarily in Africa. They prefer to kill the most beautiful, the biggest and the rarest.” (www.idausa.org) Hunting is ruining conservation of endangered animals because it can hurt the overall population of a species. For example, once “… an adult male lion is killed, the destabilization of that lion's pride can lead to more lion deaths… [and] once a new male is in the dominant position, he will often kill the cubs…resulting in the loss of an entire lion generation within the pride.” (Flocken 1). Each year “tens of thousands of wild animals, representing hundreds of different species, are killed by American trophy hunters in foreign countries,”( http://ocpausa.org 1) and if that doesn’t stop soon, some endangered species will become extinct, even if the conservationists do their best to protect the

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