Why Meat Consumption Is Killing Lemurs and Parrots

Scientists have warned for some time that we are in the
sixth mass extinction of species on Earth. What many don’t realize is that meat
consumption could be the leading cause of this worldwide die-off.

A new article
in Science Mag highlights the work of
Gidon Eshel, a geophysicist at Bard College. Eshel’s research, coupled with a
new study published in Science of the
Total Environment, recently prompted him to remark, “Now we can say, only
slightly fancifully: You eat a steak, you kill a lemur in Madagascar. You eat a
chicken, you kill an Amazonian parrot.

As land across the world is converted into pasture for
farmed animals and cleared to grow monocrops to feed them, indigenous species
get pushed out. According to the article, “The habitat loss is so great that it
will cause more extinctions than any other factor. Additionally, predator animals,
such as lions and wolves, are seen as undesirable and killed off.

How do we avoid this impending catastrophe? Scientists
recommend a global shift to a diet not reliant on animal products. For tips and
recipes, order your free Vegetarian Starter Guide today.