This article argues that charismatic species receive the bulk of preservation funding, sometimes amounting into the millions:
Governments in rich nations sometimes write virtual blank cheques to protect exotic animals -- even as thousands of less glamorous creatures and plants slide silently into oblivion.The story goes into some anecdotes that show how sometimes our efforts to preserve wildlife are quixotic, but it's our activities that are often responsible for their endangerment in the first place, so I don't see how it is that we shouldn't at least try.
Many experts say it is impossible to set a ceiling on the value of a species and that willingness to pay may be widening, posing risks for businesses like mining, industry or logging that affect the habitats of rare animals or plants.
Tags: wildlife | endangered species
