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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Snapdragyn" data-source="post: 2193978" data-attributes="member: 53867">I think the idea that nothing is gained from knowledge of a new species other than pleasure in the knowledge is misguided & extremely shortsighted. The knowledge guides real world conservation decisions, which can ultimately determine the survival or exctinction of that species. You mention keeping the existance of undescribed species secret; I certainly hope that no species goes extinct because no one knew there was a species in an area planned for development that needed protection!The idea that we should protect every individual is nice - but not very realistic. Conservation dollars are limited - I wish they weren't, of course, but I can recognize that they are & strive to work with that reality. That means that spending must be prioritized. Should those dollars go to preserving an area with hundreds of individuals of several widespread & common species, or to an area with a small but viable population of an endangered species? I'd vote for the latter. Now what if one of those 'widespread & common species' turned out to contain a separate, previously unrecognized species - that could change the conservation priorities.Responsible specimen collection can allow such discoveries to happen - & I support that as someone who is mostly vegetarian (I do eat some fish, but w/ care as to which - no tuna) & petitioned out of courses in college that would have required vivisection or collecting insects.A question: if you believe that respect of individuals is so important, what then of mass poisoning of invasive species on islands? Should we let entire species of seabirds go extinct rather than kill the rats, mice, cats, rabbits, or other exotic individuals who are destroying them?</blockquote>

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