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Biodiversity

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Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. It is necessary for life to thrive on Earth.

Aldo Leopold, one of the great thinkers of conservation, observed more than half a century ago the importance of protecting species. "To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering," he wrote. Losing species is like throwing away one by one the engine parts of an airplane while flying.

Biodiversity is a major initiative of Conservation International.

Biodiversity conservation provides substantial benefits to meet immediate human needs, such as those for clean, consistent water flows; protection from floods and storms; and a stable climate. 

Curated by mokiethecat

Suit Filed to Protect 20 Coral Species
August 02, 2023
The Center just sued NOAA Fisheries to force it to protect 20 Caribbean and Indo-Pacific coral species, including pillar coral, lobed star coral, and rough cactus coral. Responding to a petition from us, NOAA Fisheries officially protected these corals under the Endangered Species Act in 2014. But it refused to actually protect them with regulations that would counter some of their biggest threats — like collection and climate change — even after we petitioned for those regulations in 2020. Although the United States is the world’s largest importer of live corals, the agency won’t even monitor trade in these 20 species. “It’s clear that these suffering species need all the help we can give them,” said Center lawyer Emily Jeffers. “Protection for corals shouldn’t be in name only.” Learn more: biodiv.us/3DKztQo Video courtesy NOAA Fisheries, still images courtesy USGS, USFWS, NOAA.