Actually, the IUCN isn't a scientific organization at all. They are, by their own definition, an "international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation". They are entirely political, and use selective science to back their agenda.

Here is their Mission: "IUCN's mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable." http://www.iucn.org/about/

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

pat green and i had a discussion about polar bears, and i he told me polar bears could be just mutated brown bears that got isolated and mutated through increased inbreeding.

did i get that right, pat, or did i mess something up?

the amphibians thing has be concerned, because its a fungus that kills them. not a natural one, i dont think. ill have to look it up. regardless, amphibians are very very fragile creatures as it is.

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Yes, polar bears are thought to have mutated from a group of isolated brown bears that evolved to specialize in what was there open and optimum niche. there has been more weight levied to this theory since hybrids of brown/polars have been noticed. all highly specialized organisms will go extinct soon (ecologically). polar bears and pandas are examples of this.

IUCN employs a lot of researchers and are one of the few organizations that I do like, since it is driven by a multitude of stockholders. there are very few specialized groups that doubters will accept findings from, and i understand that.

PSP, I think I've found the ultimate progressive, green solution to help save our planet. Just follow the Four Pillars!!

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

That page is disturbing.

I know I've been clear about my advocating of ways to regulate our species to healthy numbers, but those are definitely not solutions I'm supporting.

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Wheelhouse

Like anything else, when educated people have to sway uneducated people, you end up with rhetoric. We all know ecosystems are fragile, and that humans ARE changing them, but to what degree is the discussion. To err on the side of caution is usually the safer path.

Even if your anti-animals, you have to have some feeling that when a species disappears, and no new ones are replacing them, it is bad. Say the Earth was in it's infancy, and there were 5000 known species. If you started losing one/year, it would be alarming, wouldn't it? I don't think we can afford to believe we have 'plenty' of species to lose a few w/o batting a lash.