Biodiversity Please

This past September I was on vacation in Fiji. I was staying on a tiny island resort in the Pacific. The "resort" was a collection of miniature huts build on the sand. In the mornings the staff would scan the water around the island for manta rays. When they saw them, they would ring a large bell. On the second morning I was staying on the island, the manta rays were spotted and I went rushing down to the water. We climbed into small boats and went out to where the manta rays were swimming. I put on my scuba gear and jumped into the water. Beneath me there was an entire school of manta rays. Each animal was the size of a small car. They were the most amazing color blue and made little clicking noises as they swam along. They were communicating using echolocation like a dolphin. I could not believe that I was able to interact with these animals in such an intimate manner. They were easily the most beautiful creatures that I have seen in person.

There is no question that we should save nature. Firstly, there is such an amazing variety animals on our planet. From polar bears to manta rays to centipedes every animal on our planet has some value and should be cherished. We have lost many animals during the last couple decades and we are on the path to loose many more. We should protect these animals simply because they are miracles of nature and part of our environment. Secondly, we need many of the animals in our world. Besides the animals that we eat, animals like bees are an intrinsic part of our ecosystem. Without bees and animals like them our ecosystem would cease to function as we know it. We must work to save our ecosystem and saving our animals is an intrinsic part of it.