Table of Contents

General Introduction

We all live on planet Earth, which is the only planet known to have life where air and
water are two of the necessities to sustain life. Without the characteristics of the planets
elements, the Earth would be like any other planets-no man, no animals and no plants. The
Earths biosphere in which living things have their sustenance has oxygen, nitrogen, carbon
dioxide, argon and water vapour. All these are well balanced to ensure and help a healthy growth
of life in the animal world. This balance does not only help the life-cycles of animals and plants,
but it also creates the scarce resources of minerals and energies without which the human
civilization of today could not be built. It is for this balance that the human life and other forms
of existence have flourished on Earth for so many thousands of years.

Man, as the most intelligent creation of God, never stopped being inquisitive, nor was he
contented with the many bounties of nature. His quest for knowledge and search for security
succeeded in exploring newer and wider avenues of mysteries that remained baffling so long.
Mans excursions into the darkest regions of mysteries have laid foundations for the stupendous
civilization, for the conquests of men had ensured their domination in their world and gave them
a key to control all the greatest forces of nature.

With the dawn of the age of science and technology, there has been huge growth and
development of human potentials. And, it is here that man first began losing control and became
a prisoner of his own creations. Our environment is getting worse day by day, and we are
suffering for other peoples and our mistakes. Its getting harder and harder for our families to
stay healthy with all the bad things that surround us every day. Sad truth, we are affected by our
environment, and more people are getting sicker and sicker. This could affect our families, and
worst, our future one day.
Use and Exploitation of Nature

Introduction
Facts and Figures
Biblical Views

Church Views
Animal Rights and the Protection of Endangered Species

Introduction
 Facts and Figures

Extinctions have occurred throughout our planet Earths natural history. This means that
some species develop and others die out, making a space in the ecosystem for those best suited to
any habitats natural condition. According to a well-established website named EBSCO (2017),
long before humans have arrived, fossils records show that populations of animals have evolved,
thrived, declined and further extinct. The rate of extinction drastically increased to an estimated
100 to 1000 times the normal extinction rate. Most of the accelerated extinctions were caused by
the mankinds impact upon the natural environment in different forms such as fishing, hunting,
agriculture, development, pollution, diseases and climate change.

The issue on about the protection of animal rights and endangered species is one of the
most timeless issues in the world. Here are some facts from DoSomethig.org (2016) that prove to
show how some heartless humans treat animals:

Thousands of greyhounds die each yearsome in the name of selective breeding

before they ever touch a racetrack. Many dogs do not make it to the nominal retirement
age of 4 or 5.

Dog fighting became prevalent in the US after the Civil War, with professional pits
proliferating in the 1860s. And was a source of entertainment for police officers and
firemen.
More than 50% the fur in the US comes from China, where millions of dogs and cats are
often bled to death and skinned alive for their fur. Chinese fur is often mislabelled.

Its been estimated that there are 900 to 2,000 new cases every year of animal hoarding in
the US, with 250,000 animals falling victim.

Over 115 million animals mice, rats, dogs, cats, rabbits, monkeys, birds, among others
are killed in laboratory experiments worldwide for chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics
testing every year.

The exotic pet trade is a multi-billion dollar industry in the US and while some wild pets
are bred in captivity, many are taken from their native habitats. The stress of being
violently removed from their homes causes a number to die prematurely.
These are just some of the many

Biblical Views
 Church Views
Roman Catholic View

Protestant View
References