Are Endangered Species Worth Saving?

Species are going extinct at crazy high rates. Does it matter?
TEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. learn.kqed.org/topics/5
Species are going extinct at crazy high rates. Does it matter? Find out in this video.
ABOVE THE NOISE is a show that cuts through the hype and investigates the research behind controversial and trending topics in the news. Hosted by Myles Bess.
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What does it mean when a species goes extinct?
A species goes extinct when there are no longer any more of that species left on earth. That species is gone forever aka extinct.
What is the 6th mass extinction?
Throughout earth’s history there have been five major mass extinction events-- where a large percentage of species died out. Scientists estimate that we are in the middle of the 6th mass extinction event right now, where species are dying out at 1,000 to 10,000 times baseline extinction rates.
Why should we care if a species goes extinct?
Moral and ethical arguments to try to prevent species extinction include reasons like all life has a right to be here, or that we owe it to our grandchildren to protect species so they can see them in the wild. Species also impact the ecosystems they are a part of; plants and animals depend on each other in an ecosystem for things like food and shelter, so if one species dies out, then that could affect other species in an ecosystem. For example sea otters live in kelp forests and eat sea urchins, and when they were hunted almost to extinction the sea urchin population increased and ate all the kelp-- destroying the kelp forest habitat.
What are ecosystem services?
Ecosystem services are the collective benefits we get from ecosystems. Ecosystems provide us with a lot of great things like natural resources and water, and are home to living things we depend on-- like insects that pollinate our crops and decomposers that get rid of our waste. Ecosystems are healthiest when they are the most biodiverse.
SOURCES AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Future threats to biodiversity and pathways to their prevention (Nature)www.nature.com/articles/natur...
The Biodiversity of species and their rates of extinction, distribution, and protection (Science)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2...
List of Recently Extinct Species:
ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFi...
The Extinction Crisis (Center for Biological Diversity):
www.biologicaldiversity.org/pr...
What is the point of saving endangered species? (BBC)
www.bbc.com/earth/story/201507...
Sea Turtles Might Be Threatened, But So Are Their Hunters (National Geographic)
news.nationalgeographic.com/2...
Threats and Knowledge Gaps of for ecosystem services provided by kelp forests: a northeast Atlantic perspective (Ecology and Evolution)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
How Sea Otters Help Save the Planet:
www.theguardian.com/environme...
Cattle Ranching in the Amazon (Yale School of Forestry)
globalforestatlas.yale.edu/am...
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KQED, an NPR and PBS affiliate in San Francisco, CA, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, Radio, and web media. Funding for Above the Noise is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Silver Giving Foundation, Stuart Foundation, and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

[@inayah3750]

Who else is here 2 years later for online classes

[@monistere4307]

Yep

[@sptheban]

Me

[@willmills1370]

yup

[@haydent1822]

still here lol

[@megazillasaurus]

Im here 3 years later, but not for online classes.

[@nadBanga]

2:50 that creature isn’t ugly it looks awsome

[@kizuna_cookie882]

@Mikel Riojas hUmains-

[@juniperjabber]

ikr? i love olms

[@madoxtinocomunoz928]

A: when a species rises it means that it disappears from the world and will never be seen again B: because if in an important species for the balance of the ecosystem, the whole ecosystem or the function they perform could be ruined

[@mrseaweed1000]

It's a shame this channel doesn't have more views & subscribers. Really interesting content, likable host, very good graphics/animation... Hopefully the recognition they deserve will come soon

[@AboveTheNoise]

mrseaweed1000 aw thanks! We appreciate the support!

[@lukebotdraws5034]

I agree

[@mattdamanting5681]

100k views is a lot fam

[@ToucanPlayIt]

@@AboveTheNoise I'm sorry you only have 70k subs! Underrated

[@janetross1900]

I just heard of it on Deep Look and I am mediately subscribed without even watching one of their episodes❤

[@oafkad]

Used to play Jenga as a kid in front of a swamp cooler. It was a terrifying experience when you were trying to win. Any small change resulted in the sway from the breeze growing more pronounced. Eventually it was a matter of timing. Picking and choosing what to pull and pulling at such time that you wouldn't aid in the tower falling over. Not necessarily saying it was an allegory for where we stand in the world now. Mostly just recounting it because I was reminded. That said, I do think folks need to be a bit more cautious about what they do to the world around them. Even seemingly innocuous changes by a single person can lead down dramatic and destructive paths if replicated by thousands or millions.

[@AboveTheNoise]

Sounds like good times with Jenga :) Thanks for sharing your perspective!

[@oafkad]

Sure thing. Love the show :).

[@JuxtaposedStars]

Extinction is a completely normal and fundamental part of evolution. This is a fact that is rarely mentioned in connection with this debate. Almost every species that evolved has gone extinct, all of the species alive today are in the minority. The idea that we should save EVERY species is counterproductive at best. Do we have an ethical/moral obligation to help species under direct threat from our current and past actions? I'd say yes, if we destroy habitat or disturb natural behaviors, we should do our best to restore what has been lost. That being said, no one is going to volunteer to have their house/town/city/nation removed to restore natural habitat. Some species have already reached crucial points where they no longer have access to the population numbers, food sources, habitats or other physical requirements to survive as wild, self sustaining populations. Others species will not be able to survive the habitat loss and biome changes in the near future if climate change continues or accelerates, no matter how many resources we put into them. In any time(geologic time) of great global change, there has been and will always be species that adapt and flourish to the changing conditions while others go extinct. We can see it in our own cities with pigeons, peregrine falcons, many different mammal and insect species, and even some larger predators like coyotes and leopards. Some have successful adapted to human engineered environments and thrive in numbers that meet or exceed their wild population densities. We should be directing our efforts towards linchpin species. Those that would have the greatest effect on their local biome if they were lost. Species most likely to succeed from reasonable conservation efforts should also be prioritized. If you have to endlessly sink more resources into a species with no clear sign of a stabilizing/increasing population without direct human intervention, you've just created an outdoor zoo.

[@asifmetal666]

This question is stupid. People think it's not our job to save this species should themselves go extinct

[@venlicities]

asifur rahman really??? its not stupid! imagine how long it took them to type that

[@blackbox-yk8zk]

we need some creatures to live,i mean,if a forest gets cutted down,less oxygen is maded and eventually we will die choking up

[@TurtleMaster-qk8dt]

If a species dies without human interaction, we shouldn't have to bring them back

[@renderser]

I totally agree with your comment, I was just debating someone about this and ppl just have not done enough research or understand how many species have gone extinct over time.. They act like we can actually save every species that goes extinct not understanding how much resources and money go into conservation efforts.. Before we had billions of dollars to throw at endangered species, they were going extinct all the time.. animals would naturally drive other animals extinct even if humans didn't live on the planet.. I understand that some animals are worth prolonging their extinction, but even before the industrial revolution and mass migrations into certain places, there were still species that died off.. we've also bred animals and changed up their biological makeup, but nobody complains about dogs being domesticated.. extinction is a cause of evolution

[@lukedashoe2014]

Really Good video love watching these videos more and more as the channel matures. Keep up the great work!!!

[@AboveTheNoise]

Thanks Lukeda! We've got a fun episode coming up next so be sure to stay tuned!

[@nancymcgivney1440]

Love these videos. I'm a teacher and love to show these to my students. Thanks. Also your acting skills are so improving.

[@AboveTheNoise]

Yay! Thanks for the compliment. So glad you are enjoying our videos! Hope your students like them too :)

[@gromczar1589]

You're spreading the good word to people who wouldn't normally seek this out, thank you so much

[@AboveTheNoise]

Thanks for watching!

[@matrinoxtm]

2:51 the Olm is so cool!

[@lucasxgaspar2006]

This video helped me so much for my speech!! Thank you so much!,

[@bali6089]

me too lol

[@rickberman509]

we LOVED this video! thank you for making learning fun for us today.

[@AboveTheNoise]

Rick Berman are you a teacher or a student? We are glad you enjoyed it, either way!

[@dojodeprogramacao]

Great content! keep going man!

[@HonestlyAnnaFun]

Thank you for making this video!

[@katsukibakugo6481]

I'm a student and I LOVE these videos! I love animals and will do ANYTHING to help them out endangered or not! :)

[@jkranz100]

Great entertaining and informative presentation. Thanks.

[@AboveTheNoise]

Thank you!

[@n4nia]

The only reason why I know what a kelp forest is, is because of Octonauts

[@Potato-tb3wy]

man these videos deserve more attention!

[@CaioRodrigues001]

4:24 Oh and also they produce crazy amounts of oxygen for you to breathe while watching netflix

[@NaturalScienceConservatory]

Many fascinating and beautiful species to help save. Thanks for this video.

[@onamimeee5679]

that was the coolest video I had ever seen...!!

[@rebeccanewburn]

Thanks for making this video. I highly recommend watching the documentary Racing Extinction. We show this to our students in 7th grade and they are incredibly inspired to action after watching it.

[@AboveTheNoise]

Rebecca Newburn thanks for the suggestion! We are definitely interested in coming up with a new angle on that topic in the near future!

[@theresawest9137]

Is it the documentary Directed by Louie Psihoyos?

[@hidrotule2001]

For more info on the discussion about a current max extinction, I highly recommend Elizabeth Kolbert's "The Sixth Extinction"

[@JA-vf6rn]

Thank you, great video!

[@AboveTheNoise]

Glad you liked it!

[@dreamdrgn6803]

i think some are worth preserving out of compassion, the things humans have which animals wouldnt, Ultimately the top of the foodchain will stay there until something knocks it out of balance, but this chain is something humans are starting to separate themselves more and more. The future of humanity into an intergalactic species depends on how much you can exploit planet earth not for the advancements of rich companies, but for humans. Technology can advance to a point where animals could be less important to humans, or more realistically, the ecosystem is essentially controlled by us. This video gave a perfect example of it, sea otter hunting was outlawed not because we "cared" about the species, but because its important to us as well.

[@oofpaste728]

Your video really help me I did not thought you were so good at this video Because of you i got 100% marks at science Thanks a lot and keep it up! (It was so good i even downloaded it).

[@AboveTheNoise]

So glad you liked it and it helped you out! Science!

[@oofpaste728]

@@AboveTheNoise Np you helped me i helped you!

[@honeybee8626]

Hi there! So we are making an article about pollution! And I was wondering if we could use your video in our article?

[@hyperbolik9933]

I always wondered why we try so hard to protect species, I always heard reasons like "Our children won't get to see them in the future", but never any really good reasoning. This video was very eye-opening, thank you. (I'm just gonna subscribe now and hit that bell button)

[@user-jp7dt6wn4n]

wdym, we are the reason these poor animals are going extinct, if we never existed then the animal kingdom would be unharmed. We have every reason to help those animals from extinction because without them, the food chain will be destroyed which means that humans will also decrease cause then there'll be no food.

[@francoisrd]

Instead of asking “how much are you willing to sacrifice to save a species?” ask “what are you willing to lose forever once the species is gone?” Framing is everything.

[@shrekisbae823]

My teacher told me to watch this it is very helpful this should get more views than lil tay, and the "host" just makes it even better

[@veronicapicciafuoco5590]

that was really cool well done

[@user-uw3pp9hg5k]

This is the best i watched this5 times and want to watch more

[@patricew.4010]

Animals were on this planet before us, and went extinct due to no human interference whatsoever. Wish the people so passionate had this same energy about the homeless situation, Regardless of gender as well.

[@NepheleandVala]

I will help with my Photography Skill to show that all these species deserve to live, Not only cute ones, Human Needs ecosystem like all living creatures, Imagine if there is no more trees, No more oxygen right? SEE HOW IMPORTANT NATURE IS TO EARTH

[@ragazza5026]

0:07 highlight of the whole vid lmao

[@Kalleosini]

Yes removing a creature from an ecosystem can have huge and unpredictable consequences, such as several other creatures going extinct too, or one creature mass producing so hard the environment itself becomes toxic. But none of it matters, given enough time(could easily take a million years) nature will balance it out on its own. other creatures will come and fill the power vacuum created by the extinction. The KT event is a good example.. Though I doubt living in an unstable ecosystem is going to do anything good for humanity.

[@kennjustkenn3122]

I have a animal rights club I came from your zoo video and this was very interesting and helpful

[@mlester3001]

Great video

[@rnn4925]

This channel is very good they need more subs and views

[@AboveTheNoise]

Thanks for the compliment!!

[@thomtranthi9771]

very good bro!

[@AboveTheNoise]

Thanks for the visit

[@markfitzgerald2982]

Oh wow 52 comments Btw I learned a ton and thank you ATN

[@sumanghosh-pb3dw]

2:30 - is it worth it? (3:14) - a magazine called "Zoo Books" had an edition called Endangered Animals I think that described us at the top of a pyramid. Animals were below us. Every animal extinct was a removal of the block in the pyramid with the animal. It was closer to our downfall.

[@saraharceo544]

The presence of otters was also found to increase the carbon storage of kelp forests by 4.4 to 8.7 megatons annually, offsetting the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by three million to six million passenger cars each year :)

[@mrmister1657]

All animals have a purpose doesn’t matter if we know or not, we shouldn’t just let them die

[@daraystephens2146]

I like you and that

[@urarakaochako6985]

I think that there should be a program where people can sign up to incubate and hatch sea turtle eggs with there being a designated day and place that set them free once they hatch. this would prevent other large animals from eating the eggs. some animals like raccoons and seabirds prey on and eat turtle eggs. doing this would save the eggs and the sea turtles.

[@njmoonfrost6145]

That is a good idea

[@ponyhuang353]

SO INTERESTING!!

[@freyalucillo1953]

this is our topic today

[@emdeesaif]

How can we fix this problem?

[@powerwithin6626]

Don’t worry I’m going to take care of it

[@ragazza5026]

0:7 highlight of the whole vid lmao

[@carolinalinares4677]

This is the best video of yt

[@AboveTheNoise]

Thanks! So glad you liked it!

[@vaageesh6054]

Actually the Yangtze river dolphin isn't extinct. It's critically endangered

[@somerandomguy1416]

Anyone from deep look?

[@theALTF4]

yep, me

[@nikielnabung886]

Me

[@hellstorm300]

Endangered animals are for sure worth observing and researching. Not always worth protecting though. Cause if some animal is very close to extinction, than it already doesnt exist for the ecosystem. Unless this species is in danger directly because of the human activity, like otters - in that case it sometimes is worth protecting. And some species, like pandas and siberian tigers, that are close to extinct for natural reasons, are also worth to protect. Not because of their ecosystem impact, but rather for joyful and esthetic reasons.

[@DraRed73]

So disturbing to think that not everyone has an inherent understanding of why ecosystems are important.

[@andreslopez4922]

This shouldn't even be a question...

[@petercarioscia9189]

"shampoo! The list goes on..." um...I'm sure it does....

[@davidshi451]

...toothpastes, shampoos, salad dressings, puddings, cakes, dairy products, frozen foods, and even pharmaceuticals, according to the NOAA: oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/pplkelp.html

[@jaschabull2365]

Wait, since when is an olm not a charismatic species? Who wouldn't regret losing the chance to say they live alongside real-life mystical pint-size cave dragons, I'd like to know?! Though I suppose even I probably would lean towards certain species rather than others, not necessarily purely the ones with fur, as some might, but having a selling point does help - I sometimes wonder how big a difference it makes to lose a species when a remaining species is basically identical to it apart from the junk, as is apparently the case with quite a few arthropods. And then of course parasitic species are an even harder sell, as then there comes a question where extinction stops and disease-eradication begins. Though, of course, I'm aware people who lived before me have drawn that particular line in some pretty egregiously-inappropriate places, so who knows, maybe I'll sound the same to people in the future - even if some today probably may roll their eyes at me for shuddering at the suggestion some have of experimentally eradicating certain mosquito species just to see if mankind can get away with ridding itself of natural nuisances (if even that, I suspect some may ask why waste time on an experimental phase).

[@sophonomix174]

anyone else get this vid to watch for online school?

[@andreimiguel891]

Yes

[@Naomi-hk1wc]

Not all dinosaurs went extinct one group of dinosaurs survived called birds, so that means birds are avian dinosaurs. Non avian dinosaurs went extinct.65-66mya.

[@rexthemazedinosaur8253]

We don’t know if dinosaurs are birds. Although it’s possible but not likely.

[@powerwithin6626]

I’m going to have to intervene now

[@ericnunnally7186]

How come animals that are put on the endangered list they never come off. Kinda like the alligator which is way over populated

[@Theres_No_PlanetB]

I'm already vegan. What else could I do? Activision & education. I'm also an aspiring environmental scientist.

[@cellonal4807]

Bryce A eat meat so you don’t die

[@traceurGeorge]

Coleman Hughes' doppleganger!!

[@gtvchnl]

I’m crying of how messed up hunting is. Animals don’t deserve to be killed or extinct

[@mrmister1657]

Yes it’s worth it these guys are helping the environment believe it or not

[@cptshooter]

You didn't say anything about emerging new species every year its estimated to 15k

[@gabrielleonard2872]

Especially Europeans

[@fgraham8712]

Is it true that this topic isnt allowed to be talked about on KZbin anymore? I heard through another video that they sent out in an email that its apart of the new terms and conditions that you cannot talk about endangered or threatened species! What a joke!

[@AthAthanasius]

Someone's had a recent bad experience with their ISP customer service, haven't they ?

[@AboveTheNoise]

Hehe!

[@theartoflolita935]

I became vegetarian does that help

[@sunethrafernando4914]

MY SPEECH ROCKS!!!!!!!! THANK YOU

[@angiegonzalez306]

3:00 to 3:44

[@onamimeee5679]

not gettting what to comment!!

[@GanesanRP]

My next video is on Endangered Tree species of kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH63Y4ltZsyirMk

[@NganNguyen-gs3ou]

it's so great

[@ALJSFKDAJIF]

Who has to do this for school during the stay at home order.

[@turtyle8696]

me

[@look4steven]

I meest the tasmanion tiger

[@itz-not-me-_-6915]

2021 yessir

[@sptheban]

I will definitely go to the amazon

[@LL-kp9fy]

stupid panda getting more than cats

[@mariambinteasif3273]

It is our fault that many of these species are endangered. Climate change and our actions like hunting has put many of species on endangered list and even some have gone extinct. Although the extinction is an on going phenomena but we have speed up this process. You can read more about this in the article. sabflix.com/3002/wildlife-extinction-human-impact-on-an-ongoing-phenomena/

[@jacobturner3910]

I would go all the way to save these species

[@samgong8986]

this is probably better than the natural geographics animal shows

[@AboveTheNoise]

Wow, high praise! Thank you!

[@fivemjs]

So basically we should just leave everything alone

[@tajlowe9736]

(insert image here)

[@andram4334]

I like this video

[@ameena57]

i am willing to give my life, for heavens sake

[@user-mq7lt1pe9k]

Humans: if you’re not cute we ain’t saving your ass from Extinction we have to feed our spoiled kid with information:everything is supposed to be cute and have a sexy name Animal: T-T

[@marius165]

That's a good point, I've been preaching a similar stuff about the benefits of our civilization. Not that far though, really... Extinction of dinosaurs might have been good for us, but the species that live today? Might be we don't need all of them, but really, we are destroying primary forests way too much. In Europe there is only 1 primary forest, between Poland and Belarus. Its full of wildly wild life. Secondary forests are empty. There is only a few percent of the Asian primary's left. And yes of course I would not eat that hamburger, I try to make choices that are good to me and to the environment. People in Europe are doing lots of stuff, like segregating trash and trying to be less wasteful. People can sometimes depend on doing illegal stuff, but they can chose to find themselves a legal job. The good thing is, the technology will in time resolve all the problems it once created. But when we get there, I wish we had as much of wildlife as possible when we start regenerating it.

[@zhaoqinyao327]

I feel sorry for the animals, I now wish if I knew more about animals, I'm 100% sure that I will save the animals.

[@HonestlyAnnaFun]

I'd you have an AZA Accredited Zoo in your area, you can help them with the saving the animals mission.

[@abigailderby2678]

I love animals and I hate that they are endangered. :-(

[@SprRapCat]

We need to save endangered species

[@njmoonfrost6145]

This is why saving animals are such a big deal. When you get rid of a prey animal, that predator dies out and the plants suffer. Get rid of the predators and the prey over puplate, eating all the plants. There is no win win UNLESS we step up and help

[@KundanKumar-he1jj]

Hey I just gave you my sub (courtsey your awsome content and Its Ok to be Smart). Just wanted to let you know that the map of India shown at 2.22 in the video shows two regions of India (Jammu & Kashmir and Laddakh) belonging completely to China and some part to Pakistan. While most of the world maps show them completely in Inida, you should at least show status quo (60%+ part belonging to India). If you start honouring terrotarial claims of China, soon enough whole world will be a part of China 😂😂.

[@AboveTheNoise]

Thanks for the sub, and for pointing out the issue with the map. We know this is a super controversial and political issue - and have learned a lot from viewers like you who have pointed out different views on the geopolitics of the region! Thanks again!

[@bennettssciencechannel2563]

#SAVETHEELEPHANTS

[@Cayn1234]

*endangered species* what im thinking: *rob players on elite smash*

[@ItsGroundhogDay]

Go ahead. Try to save them. If it doesn't happen, that's life.

[@CarlitosG1711]

Not That Guy cool name

[@rexthemazedinosaur8253]

Yes. We should try to save them but if they go extinct that’s just it.

[@anangelofgodswithloveforal5430]

i mean i will die for animals

[@TraceyMazzei]

Jokes on u i don’t like burgers 😜