The Planetary KillerE.O. Wilson

By: Erica HollisAnd

Lacey Thompson

“If we continue with life as normal, Wilson says, we will produce a global mass extinction on the level of the one that wiped out the dinosaurs.” “We have self awareness and systems of ethical behavior. Can we use them to stop us?”-Can we?

How are we similar?

• “ Rhinoceroses were once among the rulers of Earth.”

• How are the Sumatran rhinoceros similar to us?

Humans = Rhinoceroses?“They fight only to defend themselves and their young or to drive off other rhinoceros that invade their territories.”

Do you have an example from your life that you can relate to this?

As of 2001, approximately 300 Sumatran rhino were still alive. Of these 300, 17 are in captivity.

Why is it that humans continue to thrive, but so many animals are endangered or even extinct?

Why should we save the Sumatran Rhinoceros?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5L4xo33fko

“Homo sapiens, serial killer of the biosphere.”

Many species’ extinctions have been correlated to the arrival of human beings. - How have we contributed to this?

• “Can the Sumatran rhino, like the Californian condor and the Mauritian kestrel, be pulled back from the grave.”

• Captive breeding and protection against poaching has been unsuccessful.

- How can we fix what we have done?

The truth is…

• “Extremely few reverse direction and return to a safer category.”

• “At least a fifth of plants and animals would be gone or committed to early extinction by 2030, and half by the end of the century.”

• “So far we have played the role of planetary killer, concerned only with its own short term survival.”

We are a young species that is just beginning to thrive and we are killing species that were here way before we were. -Is this a part of evolution?-How can you start contributing to saving these endangered species?

Works Cited

• Wilson, E.O. “The Planetary Killer.” Human Experience I: Who am I?. Ed. Alice Burmeister and Kathy Lyon. 6th ed. Littleton, MA: Tapestry, 2009. 217-229. print.

• Oritt, Sarah. “The Sumatran Rhino Appeal.” Online Video. Youtube.com. 26 March 2010. Web.