Extinction

October 2, 2003 12:47 PM

Lions in Africa are getting close to extinction. In fact, all the big alpha predators are in trouble. It may only be a matter of time before all the mega species disappear from the wild.
posted by homunculus (8 comments total)

After reading this, pass on hunting these predators.
posted by thomcatspike at 12:55 PM on October 2, 2003

I've got a great idea! Let's put all those big cats in zoos, where they'll be safe from hunters!
posted by soyjoy at 1:16 PM on October 2, 2003

This is why life is depressing.
posted by dgaicun at 2:35 PM on October 2, 2003

...and judging by the popularity of this thread, it's falling on deaf ears.

When will mankind take to the stars, so that we can go ruin other planets and let this one heal?
posted by BobFrapples at 3:31 PM on October 2, 2003

It's not falling on deaf ears here. I just find it so depressing and criminal, that I don't know what to say. I feel like we're a virus sometimes. Actually, a lot of the time.
posted by lobakgo at 6:24 PM on October 2, 2003

This is interesting. I work at the local zoo as a tour guide, and to the best of my knowledge lions are not considered and endangered species. No more so than almost every other form of wildlife on this planet is at this point. I would be interested in know more about what this scientist is basing his assessment on. Considering the fact that most endangered animals have fallen below a population of 2,000 (as in less than 900 mountain gorillas left in the world) I think with 23,000 the lions are way ahead of the curve.

Not that we shouldn't be doing more to preserve their habitat anyway! It's obscene when you realize what is being lost everyday.
posted by evilcupcakes at 7:49 PM on October 2, 2003

That's a pretty awful curve.

As a kid I grew up on stories and pictures of the big cats. I don't want to live to see them die out.
posted by furiousthought at 9:01 PM on October 2, 2003

Humans: the biggest scourge on the earth.

Mother nature is going to punish us one day, and nobody, NOBODY, can say that we didn't have it coming.
posted by eas98 at 6:13 AM on October 3, 2003