On the destiny of species - Matthew Watkinson

“It seems to me, the manner in which single species and whole groups of species become extinct accords well with the theory of natural selection. We need not marvel at extinction; if we must marvel, let it be at our own presumption in imagining for a moment that we understand the many complex contingencies on which the existence of each species depends.”- Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (1859)Have you really accepted natural selection?For those who believe in conservation, On the Destiny of Species will not make comfortable reading. In fact, it will challenge you throughout because Life just isn’t as fragile as we have been led to believe.Yes, giant pandas are fragile, and yes, polar bears are fragile (relatively), and yes, even humans may be fragile, but Life isn’t about species; it’s about Life. It’s about pragmatic survival in a dynamic world.Conservation is a hot topic these days – Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the WWF have 10 million members between them – but after 30 years of research, the author has no doubt that Nature’s culling policy is ruthless for a reason, and that human emotion is at best misplaced and often specifically detrimental (as the domestic species clearly demonstrate).Published on the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species.