Question

The red wolf (Canis rufus) was once widespread in the southeastern United States but was declared to be extinct in the wild. Biologists bred captive red wolf individuals and reintroduced them into areas of eastern North Carolina, where they are federally protected as endangered species. There are many who argue that the species is not worth trying to save since there are only about 50 individuals left in the wild and resources spent on the red wolf recovery program should be allocated elsewhere. What do you think? At what point is a species no longer worth trying to save?

Answer 1

According to the scientists in the University of Adelaide and James Cook university of Australia, when the number of endangered species reached the critical number of 5000, there is no point worth trying to save the species from extinction. This is known as the SAFE (species ability to forestall extinction) index.

So, the red wolf population which numbers only 50 are being the tipping point of becoming extinct and therefore the resources spent on red wolf recovery program can be allocated elsewhere.