Tickets for the Ark: the ethics of wildlife conservation (Plymouth Branch)

A talk by ecologist and author Rebecca Nesbit.

Our planet hasn’t seen the current rate of extinction since the demise of the dinosaurs, but with limited resources for conservation we can’t save everything. Rebecca Nesbit will explore the challenges of setting conservation priorities, asking tough questions about what we should protect.

Honeybees are a poster child for conservation, but they aren’t endangered globally, and are arguably more like livestock than wild animals. Is their popularity misguided? Is an introduced species less valuable than a native species? When the introduction of one species drives another towards extinction, is it justified to kill animals in the name of conservation? Are rare species a better conservation target than common ones?

The reality of conservation is challenging and often counter-intuitive, but these conversations are essential if we are going to make choices around the future of the natural world.

This is a joint event organised by The DA (Plymouth & District Branch) and the Royal Geographical Society (SW Region).

Photo © Billie Charity