The decision by Ocean Park not to bring in a wild-caught beluga whale to stock its aquarium is to be applauded as a positive step for keeping animals in their natural habitats.
Ecosystems are nature's means of preserving biodiversity. Taking out one member runs the risk of disrupting the system; taking out several members would have profound consequences. This, however, is necessary for species to evolve - centuries of this process have got mankind to our current status, often at the expense of many species of flora and fauna.
Today, the loss of variety bodes ill for our sustainability. Our food security, for instance, could be affected. According to a resources foundation, the world's pork is produced almost exclusively by crosses of three pig breeds and 95 per cent of dairy cattle come from a single breed - the result of genetic engineering. By upsetting the natural food chain, we have made ourselves vulnerable to the risk of disease affecting our food supply.
The Royal Society recently published a paper highlighting the potential loss of a quarter of known mammal species due to poaching or habitat loss. Nearer home, the siting of the proposed bridge to Zhuhai and Macau has implications for the habitat of the Chinese white dolphin.
Animals and plants hence need management plans, much like any resource, if they are to avoid extinction, and an economic value has to be placed on species if they are to be preserved. A new protocol is being formed to fairly share benefits between private organisations that develop new products from species and the country where the resources originated. This would encourage countries to preserve natural resources in the hope that they would benefit if useful products, such as cancer treatments, arise.
