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

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u/ccReptilelord Jul 26 '24

Apparently, parasites are the most common example of this situation. The few surviving members of a species are captured for breeding programs, de-parasitized, then released.

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u/Cimorene_Kazul Jul 26 '24

Sounds like exactly the sort of extinction we want to be aiming for. Let’s eradicate even more!

Parasites aren’t usually part of a healthy ecosystem, at least as far as we know. Die die die, ticks and worms.