National Geographic

PROOFTHE BACKSTORYTO SAVE RARE SPECIES FROM EXTINCTION, WE NEED TO BUILDEMOTIONAL BONDS WITH THE NATURAL WORLD.``````CONSIDER THE SHOEBILL, whose photoopens this article. It’s a one-of-a-kindspecies on the verge of extinction—exactly the type targeted for protec-tion by the Evolutionarily Distinct andGlobally Endangered species program,aka EDGE of Existence. But when Istarted the EDGE initiative in 2007,the challenge was getting people who’dnever heard of those animals to committo protecting them.Ideally I could have gone to theleading marketing agency for natureand asked what to do to get people toemotionally connect with these weirdand wonderful creatures. But no suchagency exists—and we’ve only begunto develop both the art and science ofmaking this vital connection.Tim Flach photographed the birdsin this article; all are in his bookEndangered, to which I contributed.Flach has a unique ability to capturean animal’s essence and an ainity for``````unusual, obscure creatures. We saw thebook as a great opportunity to explorewhich images of species and habitatswould elicit an emotional response.Were people connecting to speciesthat were larger? More colorful? Or thathad traits similar to human babies’,such as big eyes? Was it more powerfulif species were pictured in portrait styleor in their native habitat? Did the viewerconnect through seemingly sharedemotions or behaviors, such as mater-nal gestures, fear, and vulnerability?Flach’s images have helped start thediscussion. Now we at National Geo-graphic, through our Making the Casefor Nature grants program, are invitingexperts to ofer ideas about how to bet-ter connect humans with the naturalworld. It’s a critical question; our futuredepends on it. —JONATHAN BAILLIEInvasive speciesHunting and trappingAgriculture and aquacultureLoggingIndustry and urbanizationGeological eventsClimate change and severe weatherPollutionOtherLEADING RISKS FOR THREATENED BIRD SPECIES```0% 25% 50% of speciesaffected``````(Includes humandisturbances, mining, fires)INCLUDES BIRDS LISTED AS CRITICALLY ENDANGERED, ENDANGERED, OR VULNERABLE ON THE IUCN RED LIST; STATUS AS OF 2017DAISY CHUNG, NGM STAFF. SOURCE: BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONALHuman actions are driving the decline of threatened bird speciesMost of the forces threatening bird populations are at least in part generated byhumans. Currently, expanding agriculture and aquaculture pose the greatest risks;in the future the leading risk factor for many birds may be climate change.```At the National Geographic Society, JonathanBaillie is chief scientist and executive vicepresident of science and exploration.