Wild Species, Which Includes That of Animals,

¶ … Wild species, which includes that of animals, plants, and of other organisms, constitute the most part of the seafood of the world and of the timber. The Wild species provide a means of earning to the communities apart from providing them with food, medicines, fibers, skins, furs and forage, without which many communities could not have had their living.

Apart from this they also help in the intellectual growth, provide a sense of beauty and also promotes the religious and cultural beliefs of the people. Because of the importance given to the wild species and of the use made of them by people, many natural and semi-natural ecosystems owe their present existence and even their future would owe to these uses.

Firstly, the use of wild species is that it has direct commercial value in terms of fishing, hunting, harvesting which enables the U.S. economy to earn $200 billion and also the commercial value could be witnessed in terms of the legal trade of exotic species, which includes that of birds, aquarium, and reptiles. Secondly, wild species have many traits and so have their potential use. Drought resistance, parasite resistance, salt tolerance, disease resistance, tolerance of extreme heat, cold, etc., need wild species as a source of genetic material. This is for the purpose of breeding or genetic engineering in existing crops/animals, pest control, for useful products, which are still not, recovered, and those which could become potential new crops. Thirdly the use of wild species has their medicinal value- for several decades, in the United States of all the prescriptions written contain chemicals, which are discovered in plants and animals. Fourthly, its usage is of enormous recreational value-, which is very often an important part of the revenue of the local economies. The revenues are earned by means of eco-tourism, sport hunting, and bird watching. They also have their aesthetic importance, which is the source of inspiration for poetry, art and so on. (Albuquerque, 1990)

Next, killing of the other forms of life is not only morally wrong, but also dangerous, since that can never be replaced. Since humans are being used to diversity of various forms of life, the quality of mankind would be reduced, if the diversity in nature does not exist any more. Hence the wild species have an intrinsic value. Ecosystems compose the earth's biosphere. And the ecosystems comprises of animals, plants and their physical environment. And no living creature can exist in a vacuum, since all living creatures are part of the biosphere, which is a network of delicate balance and complexity. If a single species is removed from an ecosystem, then it can affect other species as well resulting in a chain reaction. It has been found that when a plant disappears it would make 30 other species, which includes higher animals, insects and even other plants to disappear with it. (Albuquerque, 1990) It is not fully clear as to the extinction at length, since there is more to be understood and studied. So the impacts, which have long-term influences, are difficult to predict easily.

In areas such as agriculture those forms of life, which seem to be insignificant are showing signs of benefits of utilitarian nature. There are farmers who have started to use insects and other animals that compete with or prey on certain crop pests. For the purpose of repelling harmful insects farmers are using plants, which contain natural-toxin compounds. They are called "Biological controls." In comparison to synthetic chemicals, they are cheaper and are effective and safe in several of the cases. It has been found that there are around 80,000 species of edible plants. 90% of the world's food is produced from out of the less than 20 species among them. To solve the food problems of the growing populations could be done by means of conserving the underutilized species. In comparison to domesticated rice, Indian wild rice, which is native to the Great Lakes States, is superior in protein. It is also earning millions of dollars annually, because of the increase in its commercial production. By means of crossing it with Texas wild rice, which is an endangered species, and is also a related species, it could result in a strain, which other regions could also adapt. (Costanza, 1997)

It was over millions of years that our animal and plant species and their natural DNA have evolved. Wild species and the people, who depend on them, are being increasingly at risk, since the diversity of nature is disturbed and ecosystems are being degraded and fragmented. By means of changes that would be created artificially, the delicate balance of our ecosystem would be upset as a result of introducing genetically engineered species For example, in the production of ethanol, a genetically engineered bacterium, had been developed, which produced residues. This resulted in making the land infertile. On this soil new corn crops were planted, which after growing for three inches tall had later fallen dead. When the plants, which are genetically engineered, germinate, birds, bees, and winds help in creating new species by carrying them into the neighboring fields and even further. The wildlife would be endangered by these species which cannot be predicted and which are not known. They would also bring about changes in the necessary ecological relationships between plants and animals and thereby would create changes in the ecosystem as a whole. (Hill, 1994)

With regard to the research of biotech companies, approximately 57% of the research concentrates on the development of plants, which can produce herbicides in greater quantities. It is found that this would increase the amount of pesticides and herbicides used on crops by three times, which would create further chemicals in our water and food supply. Again, several Americans who are prone to allergies will have no way of safeguarding themselves from food that is corruptive. Reactions from allergy could produce more than mere simple discomfort. They could produce anaphylactic shocks, which could be as dangerous as being life threatening. (Food and Drug Administration 57 Federal Register 22987, (1995). There are several plants, which produce various compounds, which change food quality or are toxic to human beings. Even though they are present at various levels, they do not result in any problems. Potatoes and Corn are engineered to create their own toxins, which would kill insects. But they have now been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as pesticides rather than as vegetables as they have greater toxins. (Food and Drug Administration 57 Federal Register 22987, (1995)