Question

As symbols of the freedom of the wilderness, bald eagles have the unique capacity to inspire people and foster in them a sympathetic attitude toward the needs of other threatened species. Clearly, without that sympathy and the political will it engenders, the needs of more obscure species will go unmet. The conservation needs of many obscure species can only be met by beginning with the conservation of this symbolic species, the bald eagle.
Which one of the following is the conclusion of the passage as a whole?

(A) Because bald eagles symbolize freedom, conservation efforts should be concentrated on them rather than on other, more obscure species.

(B) The conservation of bald eagles is the first necessary step in conserving other endangered species.

(C) Without increased public sympathy for conservation, the needs of many symbolic species will go unmet.

(D) People's love of the wilderness can be used to engender political support for conservation efforts.

(E) Other threatened species do not inspire people or foster sympathy as much as do bald eagles.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: B.

Explanation:

• A variety of species become threatened or endangered due to various natural and anthropogenic factors.
• Natural factors like climate change, global warming, flood, volcanoes, forest fires, avalanche, earthquake, tsunami etc cause the death of many species of organisms and often cause the extinction of several endemic and rare species.
• Man-made factors like habitat destruction, mining, quarrying, deforestation, poaching, etc also has similar impact on species diversity.
• Conservation of animals can be defined as the procedure adopted to promote the well being of different species of animals such that they can survive and reproduce to maintain their existence on earth without getting threatened, endangered or extinct.
• A Threatened species can be defined as the one which has a high probability of becoming endangered in the near future.
• An Endangered species can be defined as the one whose population has reduced to such an extent that the probability of the species to become extinct in the near future becomes exceptionally high.
• An Extinct Species can be defined as the one whose last surviving individual has died. The ability of such a species to breed and recover its population gets lost much earlier.
• Conservation program carried out for the preservation of a particular animal species includes the protection of their surviving habitat, breeding habitat and also their hibernating habitat.
• A particular habitat can be occupied by multiple species of organisms which occupy different ecological niches.
• Therefore, conservation of the habitat of a particular species of organism will simultaneously cause the conservation of other species present in the same habitat.
• Hence, this would indirectly cause the conservation of other endangered species.