At present, many species of plants and animals are in direct danger of extinction. As reported by The Economist (2022), this issue is particularly noticeable in the case of Sumatran rhinos, which are essential to the preservation of plants. Namely, seventy-nine known plants in Southeast Asia require to go through an animal’s digestive system to germinate, and Sumatran rhinos are the only species capable of this process regarding all local flora (The Economist, 2022). As a result, if the Sumatran rhinos become extinct, humanity might face a reduced variety of invaluable plants.
The experts suggest that other animal species might preserve the flora in Southeast Asia as well. However, Dr. McConkey and Dr. Campos-Arceiz conducted a comparative analysis of local fauna and found that Sumatran rhinos were irreplaceable (The Economist, 2022). Ultimately, other local animal species consume only fifty-seven plants in the region, indicating that more than twenty plants will also go extinct if humanity loses Sumatran rhinos.
Reference
The Economist. (2022). Save the rhino, save the plant. Web.