5 Common Misconceptions about Endangered Species

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The Endangered Species Act has been in the news quite a bit lately.  The Washington Post ran an article today about the recovery progress of 5 listed species and a Congressional Working Group has released its report on the ESA.   Maybe there are ways that the law’s implementation could be improved, but it’s also time to take a look at 5 common misconceptions about endangered species: 

Misconception #1 -- Species have always gone extinct, so we don’t need to worry right now.  True, species have always gone extinct.  Scientists are not concerned about the fact of extinction; it’s the rate of extinction that is a concern.  The USFWS, in its pamphlet “Why Save Endangered Species?”, states “Biologists estimate that since the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620, more than 500 species, subspecies, and varieties of our Nation’s plants and animals have become extinct.”  Wow!  Current estimates of the current rate of species extinctions are 100 to 1000 times the natural rate which is estimated to be between 1 every year to 100 years.  That means that we’re living in a time of mass species extinction, comparable to the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Misconception #2 -- Losing a species won’t affect humans.     Species diversity is a critical element in ecosystem health.  “Species diversity” is how many different species are found in a habitat and in what proportion they’re found.  Some habitats have greater species diversity than others – think rainforest – but all habitats are healthiest when they contain as many different species as they can sustain.  Think of a habitat as a fishing net, with each species being piece of rope that connects to other pieces to form the net.  If one of the pieces of rope breaks and leaves a small hole, the net can probably be fixed and reused.  But what if half the net is torn?  It won’t be very useable.  The same thing happens in a natural habitat; remove too many species and the habitat ceases to function.  How many species can be lost, before the habitat doesn’t function?  No one knows – is it an experiment we’re willing to try?  The habitats around us provide many services such as medicinal and agricultural resources, clean water and air, and recreation.  Healthy habitats benefit humans – they’re a necessity, not a luxury.

Misconception #3 – Once a species is on the endangered species list, it never comes off.   Incorrect!  Protections under the U.S. Endangered Species Act have led to the recovery of several species or populations of species, including the gray whale, the bald eagle, the brown pelican, and the gray wolf.

Misconception #4 – Pollution is the greatest threat to biodiversity.  Actually, habitat loss is the greatest threat to biodiversity.  With 7 billion humans on the planet, we take up a lot of space and we’re changing a lot of habitat to new uses.

Misconception #5 – There’s nothing I can do to protect the Earth’s biodiversity.  In order to protect biodiversity and endangered species, we all have to make conscious choices about how we use resources.  Check out the “low hanging fruit” section as a start.  Visit www.myfootprint.org to discover new ways of decreasing your carbon footprint.  Get involved in deciding how our country produces energy – research the issue and write to your political representatives.  One final thought from famous biologist E.O. Wilson,  “The one process now going on that will take millions of years to correct is the loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us.” (From Brainy Quote. Web.  12/31/11.  <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/e_o_wilson_2.html#ixzz1i9a6zlii>)

Climate Change Preach-In

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Last night, my family and I attended one of the many churches participating in the National Preach-in on Climate Change, sponsored by Interfaith Power and Light.  Of course, the sermon had to set the stage regarding the seriousness of the issue, but it was a real downer.  Droughts, storms, species loss, nothing really surprising to anyone who’s been paying attention.  The second half of the sermon, though, was a call to action – basically, the question I always ask, “what’s a greenmomster to do?”  Since positive thought is more effective than negative thought in motivating folks, here are a few positive signs I’ve seen in the climate change arena right in my own area:

• solar panels and geothermal power in some of the homes in my neighborhood
• new construction in my town building to Energy Star and LEED standards
• more and more folks at mainstream grocery stores (not just Whole Foods or coops) bringing their own bags
• several new mass transit projects, including streetcars and extensions of the metro system
• local groups like Fairfax Climate Watch and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network are providing guidance for folks who would like to become politically active on this issue

So what’s a greenmomster to do?  First, educate yourself on the issue of climate change -- there are many great websites and blogs on the topic.  Then, take action!  The sermon yesterday had lots of great suggestions.  If you’d like ideas for simple ways to take action, check out the “Low Hanging Fruit” section of this blog.  Climate Mama blog also often has great ideas for action.  Finally, become politically active – write your elected officials and tell them this issue really matters to you.  You could even attend a rally!  Fighting climate change doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom, but, as mentioned in yesterday’s sermon,  it will take action and it has to happen now.

Super simple spaghetti

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Here’s the perfect meat-free Friday meal – super easy and super tasty.  The pasta recipe is adapted from Michael Symon’s 5 in 5.  Saute some kale and red bell peppers in olive oil and garlic for the perfect side dish! 

Ingredients
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb dried spaghetti
1/4 cup olive oil
about 4 tsp minced garlic from a jar (you could use 8 fresh cloves, too)
1 tblsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tblsp butter

Instructions

1. Cook pasta and reserve 1 cup of cooking water.
2. Saute olive oil and garlic about 3 minutes.  Add red pepper flakes and reserved pasta water.  Bring the mixture to a simmer.
3. Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
4. Remove from heat and mix in the parmesan, parsley, and butter.

Serve with kale on the side – enjoy!

Saving the magical monarch

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I love butterflies!  I studied butterfly ecology for my dissertation and eagerly await every spring when these insects reappear in my garden.  One of the most popular butterfly species is the monarch (Danaus plexippus).  I’ve written posts about why monarch butterflies are cooler than British monarchs and other fun facts about monarch.  That’s why the news about the monarch butterflies, reported in the 1/30/14 issue of the Washington Post, really got my attention.  Joshua Partlow’s article reported that monarch butterflies covered only 1.6 acres of forest in their wintering grounds in central Mexico, down from a 20 year high of 45 acres.  Threats to the monarch occur in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico – herbicide use in the agricultural fields of the U.S. and Canada and illegal logging in Mexico.   Although monarchs rebounded from a similar crash in the 1930s, scientists are very concerned about the population of monarchs known for their 5 generation migration through North America.  Karen Oberhauser, a monarch researcher at the University of Minnesota was quoted in the article as saying, “I am deeply saddened by the terrible news….To preserve the monarch migration, we need a groundswell of conservation.”  Well greenmomsters, I know a call to action when I hear one.  Here are some actions you can take today to help save monarchs in our area:

• Create a Monarch Waystation!  Plant LOTS of milkweed and nectar plants in your yard.  It’ll provide habitat where female monarchs can lay eggs.
• Try tagging monarchs!  It’s a fun way to learn more about the monarchs and their migration.
• Read about the migration!  Four Wings and a Prayer, by Sue Halpern is a great book about the migration.
• Support Monarch Watch!  This organization helps to educate the public, support research, and protect the habitat of monarch butterflies.
• Support the Xerces Society, which has programs to protect western overwintering sites and restore breeding sites in the U.S.
• Support the World Wildlife Fund in their efforts to preserve overwintering grounds in Mexico through community-based conservation.
• Write to the President and your congressional representatives to tell them about your concern for monarchs!  President Obama will be visiting Mexico in February – let’s get this issue on his agenda.

Let’s make sure our grandchildren can witness the incredible monarch migration!

Source:

Partlow, J.  2014.  Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico cover smallest area in 20 years.  Washington Post, 1/30/2014.

Winter squash and tofu curry

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The perfect dinner for a cool winter evening, I adapted this recipe from one I found in the Jan/Feb 2014 issue of Cooking Light.  It looks like a lot of ingredients, but the cooking is quick.  It’s tasty and simple – my husband put this dish together to give me the night off!

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked rice
14 oz. firm tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
5 tsp canola oil
2 tsp creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 tblsp Thai red curry paste
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 14 oz. can light coconut milk
3 tblsp soy sauce
1 tblsp brown sugar
3 cups cubed squash (I used butternut)
1 cup red bell pepper
2 or 3 shallots, sliced
2 tblsp lime juice
1/1/2 tsp grated lime rind
1/2 cup basil leaves

Instructions

1. Cook rice.
2. Place tofu on several layers of paper towels and cover with more paper towels.  Let the tofu drain for about 30 minutes.
3. Heat pan with 1 tblsp oil.  Add tofu and saute until golden brown.  Remove tofu.
4. Reheat pan and add 2 tblsp oil, peanut butter, curry paste, cumin, and coriander.  Cook for about 15 seconds.
5. Add coconut milk, soy sauce, and sugar.
6. Add squash, bell pepper, and shallots.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until squash is tender.
7. Stir in tofu, lime rind, and juice.
8. Serve over rice with basil leaves as a garnish.

Enjoy!

In Defense of Zoos–a repost

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An article in the January 22 Issue of Conservation Magazine reported on research that suggests that, while zoos play an important role in conservation and species protection, they might want to try to better coordinate their efforts – more bang for the buck.  This report made me think about why it is I still love zoos.  Here’s an earlier post on the topic:

I’ve often heard people say, “I hate going to zoos.  It’s so cruel to keep the animals in cages.”  Recently, there have been news stories regarding the mistreatment of crocodiles by zoogoers in China.  Since I love going to the zoo, these statements and news stories trouble me, and I rethink whether zoos should exist in our modern world.  Truth be told, I’d prefer to see zoos that don’t concentrate heavily on the “charismatic megafauna” – lions and tigers and bears, oh my!  I’d rather see animals like invertebrates, Amazonian exhibits where we work to see the sloth in a tree, or birds flying freely in large enclosures.  But let’s be honest, most folks won’t visit the zoo unless they can see an elephant or a tiger or a panda.  Despite this difference of opinion on the ideal fauna for a zoo, I believe that, when the animals are treated in humane conditions, zoos do indeed have an important role to play in today’s society.  Here’s why:

• I’ve never seen one of those!  Most of us will not be able to travel to the Galapagos or Kenya to encounter wildlife in its native habitat.  Zoos are often the only place where people can encounter and appreciate animals other than pets and farm animals.  Schools often do not allow animals in the building and field trips to observe local wildlife are pretty much non-existent.  As Richard Louv states in his book, Last Child in the Woods, “In the patent-or-perish environment of higher education, we see the death of natural history as the more hands-on disciplines, such as zoology, give way to more theoretical and remunerative microbiology and genetic engineering.”  The zoo is one of the last homes of environmental and zoological education.  At the zoo we can hear a lion’s roar, feel a sea urchin in the invertebrate house touch tank, smell the musky smell of the maned wolf during breeding season, and even be splashed as the seals and sea lions dive into cold water.
• What?  I can help out?  Zoos are a great volunteer opportunity for people interested in learning more than can be taught in a short weekend visit.  I was a volunteer at the Smithsonian National Zoo for over 5 years, first at the Invertebrate House and then at the Conservation Research Center in Front Royal.  What a great experience!  Under the guidance of expert zookeepers and curators, I learned about animals as varied as the octopus, the hissing cockroach, the Przewalski horse, and the leaf-cutter ant.  I helped feed many of the animals, cleaned their tanks and enclosures, taught zoo visitors about the animals, mourned the loss of old animal friends, and celebrated new births at the zoo.  For an aspiring Dr. Doolittle, it just doesn’t get any better than that!
• The modern ark.  Zoos serve as a last preserve for animals that have either disappeared in the wild or are in danger of going extinct.  Zoos host breeding programs for many of the world’s most endangered species.  The Smithsonian National Zoo sponsors breeding programs for the Guam rail, scimitar-horned oryx, black-footed ferret, maned wolf, and the Panamanian golden frog, just to name a few.  Scientists and students from around the world come to study the latest captive breeding techniques, as well as field biology methods for surveying animals in the wild. 

Many, although not all, of today’s zoo animals were born and bred in captivity, or cannot be returned to the wild because of injury.  When a zoo is well-maintained (see accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and animals live in stimulating, enriching environments, I believe zoos have much to offer.  Why not visit and support your local zoo this weekend?

Sources:

Conde D.A., Colchero F., Gusset M., Pearce-Kelly P., Byers O., Flesness N., Browne R.K. & Jones O.R. 2013. Zoos through the Lens of the IUCN Red List: A Global Metapopulation Approach to Support Conservation Breeding Programs., PLoS ONE, PMID: 24348999

Goldman, J.G. 2014.  Is Conservation Work in Zoos too Random?  in Conservation Magazine 1/22/14.  Accessed 1/23/14 at http://conservationmagazine.org/2014/01/conservation-work-zoos-random/

Louv, R.  2008. Last Child in the Woods.  Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.  ISBN-13: 9781565126053.  390 pp.

Lentil Quinoa Bolognese Sauce

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This week’s recipe comes from a recommendation by my friend Lisa Muras.  Lisa is a dietician and always on the lookout for tasty, healthy recipes.  She found this recipe in the Washington Post.  Lisa recommends serving the dish over pasta.  The only change she made was using a blender on the lowest setting, rather than a food processor.  Enjoy!

Lentil Quinoa Bolognese Sauce (credit to Washington Post, Food Section (photo credit:  Deb Lindsey for the Washington Post, tableware Crate and Barrel)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dried lentils (preferably brown or green), rinsed
• 3 medium carrots, well scrubbed then cut into large chunks
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and seeded then chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 28 ounces no-salt-added crushed tomatoes or 3 cups homemade tomato puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small bunch kale, stems removed and discarded, leaves torn into small pieces (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup dried quinoa, rinsed well
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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DIRECTIONS

Combine the lentils, carrots and water in a large pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low; cover and cook until the lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the oil into a medium saute pan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and stir to coat; cook until translucent, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper and garlic, stirring to coat; cook until tender, 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor.

Once the carrots and lentils are cooked, transfer the carrots from the pot to the food processor, along with the tomatoes or tomato puree, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper flakes and kale. Pulse until mostly smooth.

Add the quinoa and red wine to the pot of lentils, stirring to incorporate; cover and cook until the quinoa grains start to show their white tails, 6 or 7 minutes.

Stir the carrot-kale puree into the lentil-quinoa mixture; cook, covered, over low heat until the sauce melds and heats thoroughly, about 20 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.

Serve hot, or cool completely before storing.

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RECIPE SOURCE

Adapted from "The Great Vegan Bean Book," by Kathy Hester (Fair Winds Press, 2013).

Tested by Nicole Schofer.