In Defense of the World’s Most Despised Species: Why we love some species but hate most, and why it matters

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
	Why are there So Many Pictures of Animals, Plants, and People in this Book?
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Chapter 1 Introduction and Chapter Summaries
	Introduction to the Book
	Summary of Chapter 1 (Introduction and Chapter Summaries)
	Summary of Chapter 2 (Cruel & Compassionate Sides of Humans)
	Summary of Chapter 3 (Speciesism)
	Summary of Chapters 4 – 6 (Determinants of Human Prejudice Against & Preference for Species)
		Summary of Chapter 4 (Size, the Most Important Determinant of Human Prejudice Against and Preference for Species)
		Summary of Chapter 5 (Visual/Beauty Determinants of Human Prejudices Against and Preferences for Species)
		Summary of Chapter 6 (Non-Visual Determinants of Human Prejudices Against and Preferences for Species)
	Summary of Chapter 7 (Symbolic/Representational Creatures as Reflections of Human Prejudices Against and Preferences for Species)
	Summary of Chapter 8 (Indispensable Values of Species for Human Welfare)
	Summary of Chapter 9 (Extinction – How Biased Elimination of Species Endangers Humans)
	Summary of Chapter 10 (Bias and Prejudice in Species Conservation)
	Summary of Chapter 11 (Dealing with Dangerous Species)
	Summary of Chapters 12 and 13 (Reforming Agriculture and Urbanization – The Greatest Threats to Species)
		Summary of Chapter 12 (Reforming Agriculture – The Greatest Threat to Species)
		Summary of Chapter 13 (Reforming Urbanization – The Second Major Threat to Species)
	Summary of Chapter 14 (Advancing Technologies and the Fate of the World's Species)
	Summary of Chapters 15–21 (The World's Most Despised Species)
		Summary of Chapter 15 (In Defense of the World's Most Despised Invertebrate 'Bugs')
		Summary of Chapter 16 (In Defense of the World's Most Despised 'Lower' Vertebrate Animals)
		Summary of Chapter 17 (In Defense of the World's Most Despised Mammals)
		Summary of Chapter 18 (In Defense of the World's Most Despised Toxic Plants)
		Summary of Chapter 19 (In Defense of the World's Most Despised Agricultural Weeds)
		Summary of Chapter 20 (In Defense of the World's Most Despised Environmental Weeds)
		Summary of Chapter 21 (In Defense of the World's Most Despised Urban Weeds)
	Key Messages of the Book
Chapter 2 The Cruel and Compassionate Sides of Human Nature
	Introduction
	Cruelty
		Background
		Racial Hostility Among Humans as a Model of Hostility to Other Species
		Are Humans Natural Killers?
		Are Humans Natural Slavemasters?
		Bullying
	Compassion
		The Distinction Between Animal Welfare and Animal Conservation
		Genetic Similarity to Humans as a Principal Determinant of Compassion for Animal Species
		Intelligence as a Principal Determinant of Compassion for Animal Species
		Welfare of Wild Animals
		Welfare of Livestock
		Welfare of Work and Exhibition Animals
		Welfare of Experimental Animals
		Welfare of Pets
		Biophilia and Domesticated Animals
	Parallels of Prejudices and Preferences of Interest Groups in Humans and Non-Human Animals
	Hope for the Future
Chapter 3 Human Prejudice Against Other Species (Speciesism)
	Introduction
	Distinctions Between Prejudices, Preferences, and Instincts with Respect to Attitudes Toward Species
	Clinical Zoophobia
	Speciesism
	'Lookism' and Dislike of Ugly Non-Human Species
	Prejudicial Language and the Distinction of Humans and Non-Human Animals
	Comparative Preferences and Prejudices of Men and Women for Animal Species
	Unfair Public Images of Some Species
		Defamation of Species in Literature and the Media
		Bugs: Unfair Stereotyping of the Majority of Living Things
		Vermin: Unfair Stereotyping of Many Invaluable Animals
		Weeds: Unfair Stereotyping of Many Invaluable Plants
		The War on 'Narcotic' Drug Species: Unfair Persecution of Medicinal and Spiritual Plants and Animals
	Taboo Food Species
	Superstitious Beliefs Concerning Species
Chapter 4 Size, the Most Important Determinant of Human Prejudice Against and Preference for Species
	Introduction
	The Charismatic Megafauna (Attractive Large Animals)
	Giant Animal Clones
	The Charismatic Megaflora (Attractive Giant Trees)
	Ambivalence Toward Trees
	Relative Unattractiveness of Small Creatures
	Large Group Size as Compensation for Small Size of Individuals
Chapter 5 Visual ('Beauty') Determinants of Human Prejudices Against and Preferences for Species
	Introduction
	Human Beauty as a Determinant of Success
	Is Beauty Only Skin-Deep?
	Beauty as a Curse
	Facial Features
		Importance of Human Facial Beauty
		The Attractiveness of Human Infantile Features with Special Reference to Faces
		The Value of Infantile Features in Public Relation Campaigns
		Neoteny (Retention of Infantile Features) with Special Reference to Female Beauty
		Comparative Sensitivity of Women and Men to Infantile Features of Animals
		Men's Faces: Development of Aggressive Appearance
		Judging Animal Faces
	Ageism
	Body Coverings
		Huggability
		Hair and Fur
		Prejudice Against 'Unsightly' Complexions
	Shape
		Sexual Dimorphism
		Sexual Attraction to Other Species
		Preference for Bilateral Symmetry
		Preference for 'Averageness'
		Prejudice Against Fat Animals
		Preference for Slimness
		Attitudes in Favor of and Against Species with Unconventional Shapes
		Preference for Long Necks
		Attitudes Regarding Long Leg-to-Body Ratios
		Foot Preferences
		The Attractiveness of Posteriors
		The Attractiveness of Narrow Waists
	Posture
	Color
		Preferences for and Prejudices Against Black and White
		Preferences for Other Colors
		Attractively Colored Animals
		Attractively Colored Ornamental Flowers
		The Extraordinary Importance of Colorful Plants to Women
	Beautification of Pets by Breeding
	Do Pets Resemble their Owners?
	The Public Relations Value of Animals Being Perceived as Beautiful
	Clothing and Costumes
	Enhancing the Appearance of Species
	Happiness is a Warm Puppy
Chapter 6 Non-Visual Determinants of Human Prejudices Against and Preferences for Species
	Introduction
	The Appeal of Loving Animal Parents
	Odor
		Preference for Perfumed Species
		Ambivalence Regarding Stinky Plants
		Prejudice Against Stinky Animals
	Judging Animals on their Sounds
	Judging Animals on their Athleticism
	Judging Animals on their Physical Aggressiveness
	Judging Species on the Attractiveness of their Habitat
	Judging Animals on their Constructed Domiciles
	Judging Animals on their 'Garments'
	Judging Animals on their Diet
	Dog People vs. Cat People
	Judging Animals on their Status
Chapter 7 Symbolic (Representational) Creatures: Reflections of Human Prejudices Against and Preferences for Species
	Introduction
	Totems
	Species and Religion
	Sacred Groves: Collective-Species Icons
	Species as National and Regional Emblems
	Dragons: Metaphorical Personifications of Human Fear of Dangerous Animals
	Ogres: Metaphorical Transference of Feared Animal Features to Humans
	Humanoids: Theoretical and Artificial Human-Like Creatures
	Mythical Part-Human Hybrids
	Anthropomorphization of Species
		Anthropomorphization of Pets
		Anthropomorphization of Pests
	Species as Commercial Symbols
	Species as Mascots
	Animals and Plants as Coded Messages
	Flowers and Masculinity
Chapter 8 Indispensable Values of Species for Human Welfare
	Introduction
	Wild Animals and Wild Plants as Resources
	Why Plants are Indispensable for All Forms of Biodiversity
	Why Plants are Indispensable for Humans
	The Role of Wild Resources in Persuading the Private Sector to Support Biodiversity Conservation
	The Indispensable Ecosystem Services by Living Things for Human Welfare
	The Pollinator Crisis
	Species and the Energy Crisis
		Introduction
		Are Biofuels Environmentally Friendly?
		Are Biofuels Bad for Biodiversity?
		Can Biofuels Replace Fossil Fuels?
		Biofuels vs. Food
		Prospects
Chapter 9 Extinction: How Biased Elimination of Species Endangers Humans
	Introduction
	Natural Extinction
	What Human (Dis)interest in Extinct Species Reveals About Preferences and Prejudices
	Anthropogenic Extinction
	Humans and Animal Extinction
	Humans and Plant Extinction
		The Danger of Potentially Valuable Medicinal Plants Becoming Extinct Before they are Discovered
		Animals Used Medicinally in Relation to their Conservation
	State of Knowledge of Extinction Risk to Known Wild Species of the World
	A Key Misconception About the Need to Limit Extinction
	Natural But Harmful Destructive Human Behavior: The Ultimate Basis of Extinction Threats to Ecosystems and Species
	Human Overpopulation: A Critical Issue
	'The Tragedy of the Commons' as a Driver of Extinction
	The State of International Agreements to Protect Harvested Species
	International Environmental Agreements Bearing on Biodiversity Conservation
		Convention on Biological Diversity
		Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
		Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
		International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
		International Plant Protection Convention
	Key Organizations Supporting Species Conservation
		International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)
		Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
		World Wide Fund for Nature
	'De-Extinction' – An Unrealistic Solution
	Why isn't the Public Alarmed About Biodiversity Extinction?
	Why is the Climate Change Disaster Being Much More Forcefully Addressed than the Biodiversity Extinction Disaster?
Chapter 10 Bias and Prejudice in Species Conservation
	Introduction
	Extinction Risk as a Criterion for the Relative Importance of Conservation of Species
	Biomass as a Criterion for the Relative Importance of Conservation of the Taxonomic Groups of Living Things
	Geography as a Guide to Species Conservation
		Conservation Hotspots
		Conservation Coldspots
		Biased Conservation of Species Resulting From the Geography of Funding Sources and Targets
	Species of Special Conservation Importance
	Fundraising Alternatives for Species Conservation: Commercial Values vs. Ecological Values vs. Popular Appeal
		Public Relations and Fundraising Value of Focus on Selected Species
		Ecological Values of Focus on Selected Species
		Contradictory Evidence of the Ecological Value of Focus on Selected Species
	Examples of Animal Superstar Species That Have Served as the Stimulus to Establish Conservation Areas
	Examples of Plant Superstar Species That Have Served as the Stimulus to Establish Conservation Areas
	Species Triage: Saving Only Selected Species From Extinction
	Permanent Captivity as a Means of Saving Species Destined for Extinction in Nature
	Biased Conservation of Species Resulting From Speciesism by Conservationists and Granting Agencies
	Academic (Theoretical) vs. Practical (Applied) Bias
	Species Conservation From the Perspective of Societal Funding Priorities
	Recommendations to Increase Respect for Maligned Species
		Policies to Increase the Welfare of Species
		Public Education to Increase the Welfare of Species
		Student Education to Increase Respect for All Species
		Legislation to Increase Species Conservation
		Religion and the Promotion of Species Conservation
		Corporations and the Promotion of Biological Conservation
		Recreational Hunting and Fishing and the Promotion of Conservation
		Art and the Promotion of Appreciation for Species
Chapter 11 Dealing with Dangerous Species
	Introduction
	Fear of Dangerous Animals as Motivation for their Negative Perception
	Fear of Infection, Contamination, or Disease From Some Species Generates Disgust and Repulsion
	Coexisting with Wild Predators Dangerous to People
	Coexisting with Wild Predators Dangerous to Livestock
	Coexisting with Parasites
	Coexisting with Insect Pests
	Coexisting with Vertebrate Pests
	Coexisting with Weeds
	Coexisting with Harmful Species: Finding a Modus Vivendi
	Coexisting with Protected Species That Limit Property Rights
	Physical Segregation of Dangerous Species From Humans
		Territorial Separation
		Living on Earth in Biodiversity-Free Bubbles
		Space Colonization: Which Species Should Accompany People?
	Biological Warfare
	Dangerous Pets
		Wild Animals
		Domesticated Animals
Chapter 12 Reforming Agriculture: The Greatest Threat to Species
	Introduction
	Our Ancestral Way of Life: Difficult But Sustainable
	How Humans Created a Dangerously Fragile Overdependence on Just a Few Key Food Species
	Domesticated Animals and Plants: An Inescapable Union with Humans
	Unsustainable Intensive Agriculture
	The Need to Grow a Greater Variety of Small-Scale Crops
	The Need to Reverse the Trend of Disappearing Sustainable Small Farms
	Promotion of Empathy for Livestock by Small Farms
	The Need to Promote Urban Agriculture
	The Need to Replace Red Meat Consumption with Plant Foods
	Insects as a Critical Increased Source of Protein
	The Need to Reduce Food Waste
	The Need to Conserve Agricultural Genetic Resources
		In Situ vs. Ex Situ Conservation
		Conservation of Invaluable Crop Germplasm
		Conservation of Invaluable Animal Germplasm
	Woodlots: Sharing Farmland with Wild Biodiversity
	Wild Horses vs. Tame Cows
Chapter 13 Reforming Urbanization: The Second Major Threat to Species
	Introduction
	Urban Biodiversity: Welcome and Unwelcome Wild Species Living in Cities
	Feeding Urban Pests: Choosing Sides
	The Importance of Green Spaces for Urban Species
	Brownfields and Conservation Wastelands: Abandoned and Neglected Urban Lands as Refuges for Species
	Garbage Dumps and Sanitary Landfills as Habitats
	Biodiversity Offsetting
	Comparative Biodiversity of Affluent and Impoverished Neighborhoods
Chapter 14 Advancing Technologies and the Fate of the World's Species
	Introduction
	Robots with Artificial Intelligence: Challenges to the World of Living Things, Including Humans
	Cyborg: Combinations of Humans and Machines
	Chimeras: Combining Species by Biotechnology
		Chimeras: Combining Humans and Non-Human Species by Biotechnology
	Biological Control of Pests Using their Natural Enemies
	Genetic Engineering
		Deliberate Weakening or Even Eradication of Unwanted Species by Contaminating their Genes
		Favoring Particular Wild Species by Strengthening their Genes
		Exploiting Wild Species by Genetically Engineering Them to Be More Useful in the Wild
		The Problem of Confining Engineered Genes
		The Creation of Unprecedented Novel Life Forms by Genetic Engineering
		Human Gene Interchange with Other Species
		Eugenics: Old and New
	Artificial Reality
	Science and Public Interest
Chapter 15 In Defense of the World's Most Reviled Invertebrate 'Bugs'
	Introduction
		Importance of Size of 'Bugs' for How Humans View Them
	Bedbugs
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Clothes Moths
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Cockroaches
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Fleas
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Houseflies
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Leeches
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Lice
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Locusts
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Mosquitoes
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Spiders
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Termites
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
		Ambivalence About the Values of Termites
	Ticks
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
			Beneficial Aspects
			Conservation Aspects
	Special Considerations in the Defense of Invertebrates
		What are Invertebrates Good for?
		'Animal Rights' as Applied to Invertebrates
		What are Parasites Good for?
		Insect Conservation Challenges
		Hatred of Insects Caused by Commercial Campaigns Against Household Pests
		The Psychology of Entomophobia
		Improving the Public Image of Bugs on Behalf of Invertebrate Conservation
		Synthetic Biology and the Future of Undesirable Bugs
Chapter 16 In Defense of the World's Most Despised 'Lower' Vertebrate Animals
	Introduction
	Sharks
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Frogs and Toads
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Snakes
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Vultures
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Feral Pigeons
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
Chapter 17 In Defense of the World's Most Despised Mammals
	Introduction
	Bats
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	House Mice
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Hyenas
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Rats
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Skunks
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
Chapter 18 In Defense of the World's Most Despised Toxic Plants
	Introduction
		Addictive Plant Poisons
		Addictive Plant Foods
		Environmental Allergens
		Dangerous Spiny Seeds and Fruits
	Opium Poppy
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Tobacco
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Sugar Cane
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Poison Ivy and Relatives
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Ragweed
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
Chapter 19 In Defense of the World's Most Despised Agricultural Weeds
	Introduction
	Barnyard Grass
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Bermuda Grass
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Lambsquarters
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Nutsedges
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Weedy Rice
		Introduction
	Harmful Aspects
	Beneficial Aspects
	Conservation Aspects
Chapter 20 In Defense of the World's Most Despised Environmental Weeds
	Introduction
		Freshwater Environmental Weed Specialists
		Desert Environmental Weed Specialists
		Vine Environmental Weed Specialists
		Human Hypocrisy: We Despise Weeds, But Not When they are Gorgeous Like Garden Lupins
	Cactus Pear
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Common Reed
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	English Ivy
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Purple Loosestrife
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Water Hyacinth
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
Chapter 21 In Defense of the World's Most Despised Urban Weeds
	Introduction
		The Urban War Between People and Plants
		The Biased Human Perspective of Urban Weeds
		Lawns and Lawn Weeds
		Rogue Ornamentals
		Prickly Plants
	Crabgrass
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Dandelion
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Japanese Knotweed
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Kudzu
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
	Canada Thistle
		Introduction
		Harmful Aspects
		Beneficial Aspects
		Conservation Aspects
Epilogue: Tolerant Co-Existence vs. Justifiable Biocide
Literature Cited
General Index
Scientific Name Index
Vernacular Name Index