Endangered Species Slaughterhouse, and Man as an Extinction Event

[Vegan Shark]

I was reading about the Oceanic Preservation Society's latest undercover stint that Busted the World's Largest Endangered Species Slaughterhouse in China, which was killing and processing endangered sharks into oil for the highest bidder, killing 600 whale sharks per year. The Article concludes with,

What we need to do is get people to become aware that right now we are going through a mass extinction event like the earth hasn’t seen since an asteroid hit the planet 65 million years ago and wiped out the dinosaurs. Scientists now say we may be losing 30,000 species a year. In a healthy ecosystem we should lose on average three species a year and another three should be replacing them.


This current extinction event is called the Anthropocene, “The Age of Man.” Michael Novacek, provost of the American Museum of Natural History says that “this time, humanity is the asteroid.”


The irony is that our own species name, homo sapiens, means “wise humans.” It’s time that we start living up to our name.

And it got me thinking of the role us scuba divers play in this extinction event. Much of the world's population lives in cities and suburbs, and doesn't experience nature except through monthly issues of National Geographic, or BBC documentaries. It's all too easy to tune out a problem when you can't see and experience it on a daily basis, but many long time divers have seen the ecosystem change dramatically before their very eyes.

For those that have seen species disappear from dive sites, and feel passionately about preserving the ocean/planet, how has diving changed your consumer trends or actions on a practical level? Has it turned you into an outspoken activist? Has it affected what foods you put on your plate, or products you buy? Made you strive to use less resources?

 

[100days-a-year]

99.9 percent of all species that ever existed are extinct 99.9 percent of those were not affected by mankind

China and the developing nations doing most of the damage do not read SB

Conservation is a good thing and I do what I can

 

[cb5150]

For those that have seen species disappear from dive sites, and feel passionately about preserving the ocean/planet, how has diving changed your consumer trends or actions on a practical level? Has it turned you into an outspoken activist? Has it affected what foods you put on your plate, or products you buy? Made you strive to use less resources?

No, not really. I don't feel obligated to become an activist for the planet just because I'm a scuba diver. I just live my life. I drive a 4x4 truck in the city, I eat seafood and wear leather. I fly on an airplane to dive destinations, rent a car, eat at restaurants, get on diesel powered dive boats, harass inncocent fish by taking their photo, and occassionally wear split-fins.

If being an eco-activist is your thing, then I applaud you for your commitment to your beliefs.
Me? Well...I'm just looking for a few hours of peace and quiet under the waves, away from my cellphone and non-stop e-mails. I did, however, watch Whale Wars when it was on TV. Does that count?

Oh! Also, my wife bought bamboo sheets when we were visiting Cozumel. The sales lady was rambling on and on about bamboo being a renewable resource or something so maybe I am an Eco-Warrior after all.

 

[MMM]

For those that have seen species disappear from dive sites, and feel passionately about preserving the ocean/planet, how has diving changed your consumer trends or actions on a practical level? Has it turned you into an outspoken activist? Has it affected what foods you put on your plate, or products you buy? Made you strive to use less resources?

i may not meet the criteria you outlined above for people whose responses you seek, because I haven't seen any species disappear and am not passionate about preserving the planet. I don't think any of my behaviours have changed since becoming a diver with the exception that I don't order food on a menu or support a restaurant if I think a product was taken out of season and/or poached.

Our biggest problem down here in Cozumel, and through much of the Caribbean for that matter, is the damage being done by invasive lion fish.

 

[oldschoolto]

I was about 6 miles away from mount Saint Helens when she blew her top.... It was at that point I truly came to understand the fact that " WE " are just a flea on a Blue whales tail..... Even a total nuclear exchange of all the world powers stockpiles would not equal the forces that the planet has unleashed many times over..... We are just along for the ride....

Jim...

 

[Vegan Shark]

99.9 percent of all species that ever existed are extinct 99.9 percent of those were not affected by mankind

True, but man has only been around for a short period of time, and the industrial age even shorter, so you have to put it into perspective. The Earth is 4.5 billion years old, and if you scale that to 45 years, then humans have only been around for mere hours, and the Industrial Revolution began just a minute ago. The rate of species extinction occurring in that minute is tremendous, and in our power to change.

It's easy to put blame on developing nations, or "outsiders," but all nations have a role in the issue, and our economies are interconnected. For example, Orangutans are going extinct due to palm oil production in Sumatra and Borneo. It might seem easy to blame those countries specifically for their slash and burn techniques, and lack of regulation, but blame also rests on American companies for being the major buyers of palm oil, and not caring at all for the environmental issues at hand, but only that they can source the cheapest palm oil possible. And then blame rests on American consumers for financing these industries every time we go to the store and buy a Snickers bar.

Consumer trends in all countries have a role in loss of biodiversity. Poaching rhinos, or leatherback turtles, might be the things that spring to mind when we think of species extinction, and are easy to demonize and pin the blame on, but species extinction also occurs in large scale more indirectly--through habitat loss from things that seem relatively harmless on the surface, like industrial beef production, or material goods.

 

[BVickery]

The danger is, that we as humans,sometimes think we know so much and what is 'right' and 'good' and 'better'. Honestly, should we expound tremendous energy on a plant, animal or organism that came to be so specialized in regards to its diet, habitat and ecosystem? Sometimes we are responsible for a species going extinct, other times it is the species over specialization of things that cause it to do so.

 

[100days-a-year]

No one is to "blame" for another's action.We all(including corporations)are responsible for our own actions.We are responsible for those we chose to represent us to a certain degree but even then they rarely act in a manner consistent with the words they spew.

At best we can purchase items we feel are safe and live in a manner congruent with our beliefs...like not using electricity...or driving at all...or living in a city...or support politicians who start or continue wars without sufficient provocation...or interfere in the lives of wild animals..

 

[emoreira]

I'm worried about the human imprint and all the resources we take from the planet, but I'm also worried for my work, my salary and the government caos we have here in Argentina. Unfortunately those last worries are more urgent (not more important) for me.

 

[Doc]

To imagine for an instant that the understanding you gain leaving the heavy carbon footprint of SCUBA and air travel will offset what we will do to the planet by eating animals, really?

A sincere activist would stay at home in his hut. There is nothing that can or will be done. The masses of "have nots" are now graduated into real Consumerism, the appetite of millions of formerly depressed Chinese has been primed and unleashed.

What's a #10 tin can of Whale Shark pâté go for at the Malwart in Beijing?

I'm old, I'll die soon. My generation got this ball rolling. Sorry about that. Hope you enjoy the ride.