Rare Mammal Now Extinct

shmap

Wow...this place is ridiculous. Byrnzie makes what is clearly a joke, and somehow this turns into yet another "libs vs. cons" argument. You guys seem so on edge, I think everyone (whatever your affiliation) needs to lighten up a bit. Sheesh.

harmless_little_f***

shmap wrote:

Wow...this place is ridiculous. Byrnzie makes what is clearly a joke, and somehow this turns into yet another "libs vs. cons" argument. You guys seem so on edge, I think everyone (whatever your affiliation) needs to lighten up a bit. Sheesh.

No-one's upset about Byrnzie's joke at all, we know it was meant sarcastically. Know1's comment, however, that 'don't worry about this species kicking the bucket, now it's another species' time to pop up and shine' is just bloody stupid. That's what people are reacting against. In order for evolution to occur naturally, in its right time, uninterrupted by human neglect, we need to be preserving species for as long as we can. Otherwise 'coat-tailing' occurs: you lose one species prematurely, and six species surrounding it are in great danger as well. And I don't want any smartasses telling me this wasn't 'premature', it was natural, bla bla bla. As long as we continue to neglect caring for our planet, viirtually nothing is dying naturally.

This is a sad day.

Smellyman2

When a species goes extinct because water is too polluted (that we drink) and lack of fish (that we eat) and areas are becoming too overpopulated (where we live) all does not bode well for our future either.

that is what people need to realize.

Byrnzie

The Illinoisemakers wrote:

Suprise suprise. If a thread about a blind white dolphin going extinct could somehow be used to bash Republicans you would be the one to do it. Congratualtions.

Too bad about that dolphin.

I think you've dropped something pal....








































Your sense of humour! :rolleyes:

Jackass

harmless_little_f***

Byrnzie wrote:

I think you've dropped something pal....


Your sense of humour! :rolleyes:

Jackass

Byrnzie's right. I'm sad about this too, I do care about wildlife in quite a big way.

But that doesn't mean I'm not desperately racking my brain for a disability joke.

Byrnzie

know1 wrote:

I don't understand the sadness over an extinction...By keeping weak species hanging on, we're preventing new species from occupying the niche...I guess I just think a lot bigger picture than most...

Just to reiterate...this is the stupidest thing I've ever seen you post. I suspect that you were merely trying to be controversial. As far as you thinking a lot bigger than most, are you serious? You have just dropped down a few notches in my opinion Know1. I was of the opinion that you were smarter and more imaginative than this. I'm afraid that your post reeks of arrogance.

Ahnimus

Are they sure they just didn't migrate?

I mean, they only searched the one "hot spot". Creatures will move to a more suitable environment if their's is threatened.

harmless_little_f***

Ahnimus wrote:

Are they sure they just didn't migrate?

I mean, they only searched the one "hot spot". Creatures will move to a more suitable environment if their's is threatened.

I think this movement tends to be more gradual, usually. But let's hope so, it's possible.

know1

tybird wrote:

"New" species do not appear over night.....or in a human generation.....evolution of a new species is a process that could take thousands of years. It is a fallacy to assume that species are lined up waiting to occupy a particular niche.

Exactly. Hence my comment about thinking bigger picture.

know1

Byrnzie wrote:

Just to reiterate...this is the stupidest thing I've ever seen you post. I suspect that you were merely trying to be controversial. As far as you thinking a lot bigger than most, are you serious? You have just dropped down a few notches in my opinion Know1. I was of the opinion that you were smarter and more imaginative than this. I'm afraid that your post reeks of arrogance.

I don't ever try to be controversial. I state what I think.

Think of it this way, if someone had the power to keep all the dinosaur species and every plant, animal and insect that existed at that time alive, then people and most of the mammals and animals we have now may have never come into being.

I just wonder how we are modifying the future - or the unknown - by placing such high importance on keeping the known hanging on.

And again - I made it a point to say that I think we should save them if possible, but you juveniles choose to grab onto whatever gets your dander up.

know1

Rockin'InCanada wrote:

No I think you paint a depressing picture (and definetly not bigger)...as a species (meaning us) who have the ability to prevent this from occurring I think we should...this is unfortunate....and nice try of bringing in the abortion debate into it....fuck sakes....

I wasn't trying to bring abortion into it at all. Not sure where you got that.

Also I didn't say we should not try and prevent it.

Perhaps a bit of remedial reading comprehension is in order.

Byrnzie

know1 wrote:

I don't ever try to be controversial. I state what I think.

Think of it this way, if someone had the power to keep all the dinosaur species and every plant, animal and insect that existed at that time alive, then people and most of the mammals and animals we have now may have never come into being.

I just wonder how we are modifying the future - or the unknown - by placing such high importance on keeping the known hanging on.

And again - I made it a point to say that I think we should save them if possible, but you juveniles choose to grab onto whatever gets your dander up.

"..you juveniles.."? Again, It seems like you've become overcome with an unusual, and unhealthy dose of arrogance.
Anyway, your initial post stated that

know1 wrote:

I think we should make a reasonable effort to save species, but the process of evolution is such that something else will take it's place. By keeping weak species hanging on, we're preventing new species from occupying the niche.

I get the impression that you believe the human destruction of the environment, and with it the destruction of various animal species, is a natural phenomenon along the lines of natural selection? At the same time, I get the impression that your religious convictions lead you to believe that this is all well and good in the big scheme of things which your God has ordained? Will you be just as content to see the human race disappear by way of natural disasters or disease as we slowly destroy that which sustains us? Would this also fit nicely into your 'bigger picture' of the world.
And as far as humans 'allowing' new species to develop, please provide a precedent.

Jeanwah

know1 wrote:

I don't understand the sadness over an extinction. Don't get me wrong, I think we should make a reasonable effort to save species, but the process of evolution is such that something else will take it's place. By keeping weak species hanging on, we're preventing new species from occupying the niche. Doesn't it make sense to be as sad for what we're not allowing to come into existence as it is to be sad for something that dies out?

Did you even think that maybe these dolphins went extinct due to hunting by us humans? I haven't heard that this is the reason, but illegal hunting and killing of scarce species is the #1 reason they become endangered, and later, possibly extinct. We could be the very reason these dolphins became extinct.

So, YES, there is a good reason that we should be ashamed we couldn't save these dolphins.

Byrnzie

Jeanwah wrote:

Did you even think that maybe these dolphins went extinct due to hunting by us humans? I haven't heard that this is the reason, but illegal hunting and killing of scarce species is the #1 reason they become endangered, and later, possibly extinct. We could be the very reason these dolphins became extinct.

So, YES, there is a good reason that we should be ashamed we couldn't save these dolphins.

'For the baiji, the culprit was a degraded habitat - busy ship traffic, which confounds the sonar the dolphin uses to find food, and overfishing and pollution in the Yangtze waters of eastern China, the expedition said.'

Jeanwah

Byrnzie wrote:

'For the baiji, the culprit was a degraded habitat - busy ship traffic, which confounds the sonar the dolphin uses to find food, and overfishing and pollution in the Yangtze waters of eastern China, the expedition said.'

So, then is was humans in their habitat. We are the culprit.

know1

Byrnzie wrote:

"..you juveniles.."? Again, It seems like you've become overcome with an unusual, and unhealthy dose of arrogance.
Anyway, your initial post stated that

I get the impression that you believe the human destruction of the environment, and with it the destruction of various animal species, is a natural phenomenon along the lines of natural selection? At the same time, I get the impression that your religious convictions lead you to believe that this is all well and good in the big scheme of things which your God has ordained? Will you be just as content to see the human race disappear by way of natural disasters or disease as we slowly destroy that which sustains us? Would this also fit nicely into your 'bigger picture' of the world.
And as far as humans 'allowing' new species to develop, please provide a precedent.

I call them like I see them.

I do believe that humans impact on their environment is just a part of the natural world the same as any other animal's impact or any other natural phenomena.

Please do not let your prejudices drag religion into this. I've said nothing about God in this thread. In fact, I've been arguing evolution.

My precedent is the principle of natural selection. When a species dies out, it is because it couldn't adapt to survive. Something better, stronger and more suited will take its place eventually. Don't you see that by keeping weaker species hanging on, we are preventing or at least slowing the evolution of newer and stronger species?

(and before you jump back to the same old tired conclusion, I'm not saying we should hunt, kill, pollute or destroy all animals and plants recklessly for our own amusement or gain.)

know1

Jeanwah wrote:

Did you even think that maybe these dolphins went extinct due to hunting by us humans? I haven't heard that this is the reason, but illegal hunting and killing of scarce species is the #1 reason they become endangered, and later, possibly extinct. We could be the very reason these dolphins became extinct.

So, YES, there is a good reason that we should be ashamed we couldn't save these dolphins.

Sure hunting and killing may have been the reason. Just like hunting and killing by one animal over another may have bee the reason the latter went extinct.

Again I ask. If some force were able to keep things exactly as they were when the dinosaurs existed, humans and most of what we know today would have never come into being. Would you want it that way?

tybird

Jeanwah wrote:

Did you even think that maybe these dolphins went extinct due to hunting by us humans? I haven't heard that this is the reason, but illegal hunting and killing of scarce species is the #1 reason they become endangered, and later, possibly extinct. We could be the very reason these dolphins became extinct.

So, YES, there is a good reason that we should be ashamed we couldn't save these dolphins.

Actually poaching (illegal killing) is not the #1 reason for species extinctions....it is loss of habitat. Thousands (probably millions) of species are very habitat specific. They need a certain type of tree or plant, the right water temperature or some similar requirement. Here in the Alabama, a large of aquatic snails and mollusks went extinct in the 20th century because we dammed most of our free-flowing rivers to feed our appetite for electricity. Those species need the fast flowing waters of the river to respire, feed and reproduce. The impounded lakes wiped them out.

This is similar in a way to what probably happened to the dolphin. The water became too contaminated for their needs or for the needs of their prey, fish. Their river habitat got over-fished by humans, leaving them lacking. Increased boat traffic may have resulted in collisions that killed the dolphins, this is what happens to Manatees in Florida.

Jeanwah

know1 wrote:

Again I ask. If some force were able to keep things exactly as they were when the dinosaurs existed, humans and most of what we know today would have never come into being. Would you want it that way?

Well, for one thing, we (as in humans) belong to the Earth. Not the other way around. So if we never came into being that would have been fine, it's nature's way of working. The dinosaurs' extinction was from an asteroid. In other words, (cosmic) nature caused it. As Tybird mentioned, the #1 reason that animals go extinct now is from loss of habitat (I apparently was wrong for my reasoning, but it is still caused by humans nonetheless, which is what I'm going after). So we are directly at fault for why these dolphins went extinct. It's not the whole evolution ideal that you're thinking. If we humans listened more to the land and not to our selfish nature, we'd be taking better care of it.

Collin

know1 wrote:

Something better, stronger and more suited will take its place eventually.

Or nothing, except for maybe cockroaches and other nasty bugs.