Are the world's most endangered species even worth saving?
Conservationists might not bother rescuing a giant soft-shell turtle or a pygmy three-toed sloth because these animals don't provide any clear benefits to humans

How should humans decide which endangered animal species to focus on saving? That's the question being posed by an international coalition of scientists in a new paper documenting 100 of the world's most at-risk species. The scientists fear that these plants and animals are at the greatest risk of extinction because, quite simply, they don't offer any obvious or immediate benefit to humans. Here's what you should know:
Who is behind the report?
The report, Priceless or Worthless?, was published at the World Conservation Congress in South Korea. Some 8,000 scientists from all over the world put together the first-of-its-kind study for the meeting of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which convenes every four years.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What kinds of animals are on this list?
Take the pygmy three-toed sloth, which is "no bigger than a newborn baby" and is found exclusively on a single island off the coast of Panama, says Fiona Harvey at Britain's Guardian. Or take the willow blister, a parasitic fungus that grows on twigs in a tucked-away corner of Wales; it's the rarest type of fungus in the world. Then there's the Red River giant soft-shell turtle. Thanks to pollutants in the water and destruction of its habitat, there are only four left.
Why are these animals endangered?
First, the usual culprits: Habitat destruction, pollution, hunting, and climate change. But there's another problem: Unlike cuddly or "charismatic" endangered animals like pandas and tigers — or even the appetite-suppressing hoodia cactus, which has obvious medicinal uses — these endangered species are dangling precariously close to extinction because of the simple fact that they don't offer humans any clear benefits. In many cases, people don't care enough about these species to intervene.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
So... what now?
The question remains: Are these species worth devoting limited resources to saving? "The donor community and conservation movement are increasingly leaning towards a 'what can nature do for us?' approach, where species and wild habitats are valued and prioritized according to these services they provided for people," says Jonathan Baillie, director of conservation for the Zoological Society of London. Well, saving every single species is an "enormous undertaking," says Sybille Klenzendorf of the World Wildlife Fund. It's often better to save "umbrella species like tigers, elephants, and rhinos" in order to protect the habitats they share with other endangered creatures. "We won't be able to save every species," says Cristian Samper, head of the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society, "but if we are smart we can save many of them."
Sources: Daily Mail, Guardian, NBC News, The Register
-
Could medics' misgivings spell the end of the assisted dying bill?
Today's Big Question The Royal College of Psychiatrists has identified 'serious concerns' with the landmark bill – and MPs are taking notice
-
The Chelsea Townhouse: London luxury feels right at home
The Week Recommends This boutique hotel strikes the right note between sophisticated and cosy
-
What are the different types of nuclear weapons?
The Explainer Speculation mounts that post-war taboo on nuclear weapons could soon be shattered by use of 'battlefield' missiles
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy