retention index

A group of Australian researchers has developed an index that will help identify and understand how many species are in danger of extinction. The index is called: SAFE (Species Ability to Forestall Extinction) 

Conservationists are faced with a difficult decision, how to use scarce resources to save endangered species, the most prominent species are of course the large mammals.
Although the poaching continues, a joint effort by the countries of Africa (East and South) has resulted in the return of the rhinoceros in Africa from "the brink of the abyss of destruction" to a situation where there are viable populations in reserved numbers. Many resources are invested in the preservation of the African and Asian elephants, similar efforts are made for the preservation of tigers and snow leopards in Asia.
After about 50 million American buffalo (bison) were exterminated, the conservation bodies managed to restore a healthy population to a number of reserves. Recently, the President of the United States signed the removal of the gray wolf from the endangered species list. In Madagascar, efforts are being made to conserve the lemurs that are being harmed by deforestation.
With us: some of the deer and goat populations have returned from the brink of extinction to healthy populations. On the other hand, there are also failures: the population of the Spanish schooner is on the verge of extinction, so are the cheetahs in Asia (and Africa) and in our country the tigers.
These are just a few examples, to which are added many species of: birds, reptiles, fish and others, the list of successes and failures is long (and not yet complete). Every effort and activity for conservation and protection involves many resources that are not always available. The decision is difficult since the resources are not enough to save all the species, so how do you decide? How do you decide where to invest in conservation efforts and where to give up? How do you decide who to keep and which species to give up?
A group of Australian researchers from the University of Adelaide and James Cook University, developed an index that will help identify and understand how many species are in danger of extinction. The index is called: SAFE (Species Ability to Forestall Extinction). Hitcha. Based on studies that examined the minimum size of a population that would allow its survival in the natural environment and its continued existence.

The Yitza index is guided by the simple idea of ​​measuring the distance where a population is located (in terms of congestion) from the minimum point that allows its existence, the researchers developed a formula to calculate the distance. A formula that allows predicting the sensitivity of mammal species to the possibility of extinction. According to Professor Bradshaw, who headed the group of researchers: "Ytza was developed to allow help and be an annex to the activities of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, an annex and irreplaceable help."

According to the index, the situation of species in danger is different and changing, an approach that combines the Red List and the IZA gives complete and comprehensive information and provides a method for assessing the relative security of a species against extinction. The research team calculated and analyzed the situation of 95 mammal species (as a sample) and came to the conclusion that one out of five is close to extinction and more than half of the species are close to the point of no return, for example those engaged in initial sorting and setting priorities preferred to engage in the conservation of the Sumatran rhinoceros instead of the Javan rhinoceros, both species are in danger Immediate extinction Critically Endangered but the Sumatran rhinoceros has a better chance of survival according to the YCA index. That is why most resources should be directed to the restoration of its population, (and not to invest in the conservation of the Javan rhinoceros? That is, to the extinction of the species!). According to Professor Bradshaw "resources should be directed to the direction where there is a chance to save a species (for example the tiger) and not to divide resources between a number of species". It is clear that the basis of the approach is the assumption that in spreading the resources over activities to preserve many species, the risk of failure is greater compared to the chances of success if the resources are concentrated on preserving a species that has more chances of survival.
Yitzcha will provide the most information that will make it possible to decide where resources are directed, who is saved from extinction.... (And who is allowed to die?)

The need for a conservation measure, the need that obligates the conservationists to play the role of "super-arbiter", does not imply the positive attitude of human society towards the natural environment. On the contrary, after humanity has done almost everything to harm nature, only a few stand before the ongoing destruction, a destruction that requires decisions that could have been prevented, which are reaching a situation where instead of controlling the environment for the sake of the human population, there will be control of the human population for the sake of the environment.