Endangered Animals: Better Looking, Better Protected?

TOM BRAKEFIELD / CORBIS
Sumatran Tiger
Sumatra, in Indonesia
Number remaining: fewer than 600
This small tiger has lived only in Sumatra for a million years, making it hard to escape human expansion. Most survivors dwell in reserves, but about 100 live beyond the borders of the protected areas

Time Mobile
(http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/08/18/endangered-animals-better-looking-better-protected/)

Posted by Erin Skarda

August 18, 2011 at 8:00 am

Ah, the loggerhead sea turtle. It may not be the most cuddly creature to hit the beaches of South Carolina, but it certainly boasts a degree of reptilian cuteness. And soon, this species may be one of the few that makes the grand leap from threatened to the Endangered Species List.

Several studies have determined that the loggerhead turtle could face extinction by the middle of the century if they're not moved to the endangered list. While these turtles aren't alone in receiving this type of critical conclusion, CNN's John Sepulvado wonders if the turtles will be more likely to be added to the list than, say, the giant palouse earthworm - which was recently denied endangered status - simply because people think they are cute.

(PHOTOS: 10 Species Near Extinction - http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1888702,00.html)

According to Sepulvado, many environmental groups worry that animals that may be less attractive, but more important to the world's biological functions might be passed over for the endangered list in favor of animals that are more visibly appealing.

Sepulvado spoke with Patrick Gallagher, director of the Sierra Club's Environmental Law Program, on his podcast about the issue, who agreed that "charismatic" animals can have an easier time getting listed. "Decision makers feel more protected when they have a charismatic animal at issue as opposed to something more obscure," Gallagher told Sepulvado, pointing out that the decision should really be driven by science.

Whether the loggerhead turtle gains endangered status is yet to be determined, but the Center for Biological Diversity and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently agreed to make final decisions on whether to add 757 imperiled species to the list by 2018.

NewsFeed wouldn't consider all of these species cute or charismatic - just take a look at the Pacific Northwest mollusk - so maybe the attractiveness factor is just a myth. Either way, we feel all animals should get a fair shake independent of their looks. You know, just like us humans do.

Erin Skarda is a reporter at TIME.

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