ABSTRACT
The world is facing today the greatest loss of biodiversity in the history of the human species, and this loss is occurring through our exploitation of biological production. Estimates put our expropriation of biological production at around 40% (Vitousek et al. 1986), production that would normally go to other species. The consequences for other species are either smaller habitat patches or lower population densities, both leading to smaller population sizes and hence greater risks of extinction. Biologists consider that such extinctions are detrimental to the long-term survival of our planet and they have responded by attempting to save species and habitats. The sense of urgency has catapulted the conservation movement into a crusade. In this frenetic environment few people have stopped to consider carefully whether their activities are the most appropriate or indeed even correct. Hence, I ask here whether our conservation practices are actually achieving our objectives namely maximising our chances of preserving habitats and the species they support. The answer will not be self-evident; it will depend on the values and priorities for the future.
