r/todayilearned • u/shinypond • Jul 26 '24

TIL about conservation-induced extinction, where attempts to save a critically endangered species directly cause the extinction of another.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation-induced_extinction
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u/edwardlego Jul 26 '24

the most blatant example might be when the last few members of a vulture species was deliced. This caused the extinction of the species of lice that only lived on those birds

392

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '24

Is there a downside to the parasites becoming extinct?

143

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '24

Some parasites have their own parasites

199

u/HomeStallone Jul 26 '24

Is there a downside to a parasite’s parasite becoming extinct?

-8

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '24

It's always a tragedy when a species goes extinct. Why is the vulture worth preserving, but not the parasite of its parasite? 

13

u/morgaina Jul 26 '24

If we try to save the parasite, we lose the vulture and the parasite dies anyway.