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A review by cais
Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction by Michelle Nijhuis
4.0
"Love of other species is fostered by individual connections between humans and their fellow animals; the determination to prevent extinction-- and protect abundance--is the desire to reduce suffering, multiplied."
This book is a great primer on the history and current state of species conservation. Nijhuis dives into the origins of the term "conservation" itself (and related terms such as "biodiversity" and "ecology"), the often problematic origins of famous conservation groups such as The Audubon Society and the work of Julian Huxley, Rosalie Edge, Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, Paul Ehrlich and many others who, in various ways, have tried to protect and conserve specific species. Note the use of "specific species" and not "all species" as this is one of the issues Nijhuis discusses. The conservation movement, which is made up of many different individuals and groups with both shared and distinct goals, has tended to focus on saving specific species, those about to become extinct or those that are overtly useful/edible/photogenic. Nijhuis argues that protecting common species has to be part of the larger conservation movement because, in one way or another, all life is connected.
Nijhuis examines the differences between environmentalists and conservationists and the arguments between utilitarians and preservationists and between conservation-minded hunters and animal welfare advocates. She states that these groups "of all inclinations can influence one another for the better, pushing for solutions that minimize harm to individuals while maximizing benefits to populations and species, and they can and should find solidarity in their shared sympathy for the rest of life." Life is complex and the solutions to preserving life are complex as well, but that complexity must be respected. As Nijhuis beautifully writes:
"But the lesson of ecology, much like that of Aesop's fables, is that human relationships with the rest of life are both inescapable and inescapably complex. The great challenge of conservation is to sustain complexity, in its many forms, and by doing so protect the possibility of a future for all life on earth. And for that, there are no panaceas."
This book is a great primer on the history and current state of species conservation. Nijhuis dives into the origins of the term "conservation" itself (and related terms such as "biodiversity" and "ecology"), the often problematic origins of famous conservation groups such as The Audubon Society and the work of Julian Huxley, Rosalie Edge, Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, Paul Ehrlich and many others who, in various ways, have tried to protect and conserve specific species. Note the use of "specific species" and not "all species" as this is one of the issues Nijhuis discusses. The conservation movement, which is made up of many different individuals and groups with both shared and distinct goals, has tended to focus on saving specific species, those about to become extinct or those that are overtly useful/edible/photogenic. Nijhuis argues that protecting common species has to be part of the larger conservation movement because, in one way or another, all life is connected.
Nijhuis examines the differences between environmentalists and conservationists and the arguments between utilitarians and preservationists and between conservation-minded hunters and animal welfare advocates. She states that these groups "of all inclinations can influence one another for the better, pushing for solutions that minimize harm to individuals while maximizing benefits to populations and species, and they can and should find solidarity in their shared sympathy for the rest of life." Life is complex and the solutions to preserving life are complex as well, but that complexity must be respected. As Nijhuis beautifully writes:
"But the lesson of ecology, much like that of Aesop's fables, is that human relationships with the rest of life are both inescapable and inescapably complex. The great challenge of conservation is to sustain complexity, in its many forms, and by doing so protect the possibility of a future for all life on earth. And for that, there are no panaceas."