Extinct animals will probably be extinct before you die

Whether you wept at the news that Cecil The Lion had been killed at the hands of a crossbow-happy dentist from Minnesota, whether you didn’t even know there was such a thing as a crossbow-happy dentist, or whether you just used it as an excuse to wave your hands around and exclaim loudly (‘Guys, what about other species we’re so intent on killing?! The human species?! , recent events in Zimbabwe have brought an important subject to light: increasing numbers of animals are headed straight for extinction, unless we do something about it.

Every year, day in and day out, humans poach animals. Sometimes it’s for food, and your viewpoint on that probably depends on the circumstances (how hungry was the person holding the crossbow? How many people are in need of that specific meal? Are you, or are you not, a vegetarian?). Sometimes
it’s for their skin, or their bodyparts, and your viewpoint on that probably depends on thecircumstances too (how cold was the person holding the crossbow? Is the rest of the animal going to be eaten, too? What is the exact situation surrounding the animal’s death?). And sometimes it’s for fun. And your viewpoint on that probably depends on whether or not you’re a very nice person. Because honestly, just buy a goddamn Playstation. Which is why, as we all collectively reenact scenes from The Lion King and mourn Cecil’s death on Pride Rock (/Twitter), we wanted to acknowledge six other endangered species that are headed for extinction at the hands of poachers…