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Beef: It's not only about the cattle
Beef: It's not only about the cattle.
It may not seem obvious that the decision to eat a steak or a burger has any impact on animals apart from the slaughtered cow, but this is not in fact the case. In terms of animals and ecosystems, the foods we choose to eat as individuals accumulate into massive worldwide problems.
Raising cattle for beef is a leading cause of deforestation, soil erosion, water depletion, and wildlife endangerment. In short, beef is a big ecological problem.
Here are but a few of the animals facing extinction as a result of cattle farming:
Wolves
Wolves are constantly under threat as they are perceived as a threat to livestock. Wolves are being targeted in an extermination campaign in order to protect cattle interests. The Mexican Grey Wolf has already gone extinct in its native ecosystem due to “predator control systems” crafted to protect livestock.
Wild Horses
Similarly, wild horses in the Americas, despite being outnumbered by cattle fifty to one, are considered grazing competitors on public lands. Wild horses are round up and killed to preserve grazing areas for cattle.
Jaguars
The threat that beef production poses to wildlife also extends to the tropics, where deforestation is putting jaguars on the brink of extinction. As deforestation drives the destruction of jaguar habitat, it also destroys the habitat of its natural prey, leading jaguar to untypically prey on domestic cattle. This means that jaguars are dually threatened by deforestation itself and by direct hunting when they threaten the bottom line for cattle interests. So, raising cows for human consumption is dangerous not only for cows, of course, but also for wildlife.
There are other species equally imperilled around the world by large-scale cattle farming. Take a stand. Better yet, take your friends and family out for a meat-free meal and explain your reasoning to them. One by one, we make a difference. No matter what cuisine you fancy, you'll find plenty of beef-free choices at http://Kindmeal.my/
Source: http://bit.ly/1nRJufh
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