# If you could make any one species go extinct, which would it be? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 28, 2015, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124 "2015-08-28T00:43:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dunkleosteus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dunkleosteus/32/9331_2.png) [@dunkleosteus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dunkleosteus)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/41 "2015-08-28T15:43:00Z")
Probably some sort of parasite like tape worms or some other sort of worm that burrows into your flesh. Heart worms? ick. Those just gross me out. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/42 "2015-08-28T16:12:08Z")
I could have sworn we did this recently. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/43 "2015-08-28T16:51:04Z")
Gong off-list I join RTF and go with Guinea Worms ASAP … I would like to have Jimmy Carter get to see that day. On the list cows. Mind you I enjoy a good steak but the impacts to the world … to the environment, to global climate change, to world hunger, would be a net benefit with cows gone. Chickens are just a much more efficient protein factory and even pigs are not as bad. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/44 "2015-08-28T17:36:27Z")
It’s called accepting the premise, people. I’d go with pigs. Sure, pork is great but there are people who live without it. Losing eggs or milk would be a greater blow to human cuisine. There’s an emotional attachment to cats and dogs. And the threat to humans is the reason I’m willing to make the choice. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/45 "2015-08-28T18:38:19Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’s called accepting the premise, people. > > I’d go with pigs. Sure, pork is great but there are people who live without it. Losing eggs or milk would be a greater blow to human cuisine. There’s an emotional attachment to cats and dogs. And the threat to humans is the reason I’m willing to make the choice. He said we’re not limited to the 6 he mentioned. But if we were, I think I’d also go with pigs. They probably contribute the least to society and frankly, I like beef better than pork. If we can pick anything, then mosquitos is the obvious answer. I do wonder how losing them would impact the things that eat them, though. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/46 "2015-08-28T18:48:06Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > But if we were, I think I’d also go with pigs. They probably contribute the least to society … One word- \*\*Bacon. \*\* I am with MEBuckner and would get rid of Polio. I considered Malaria or the Anopheles mosquito, but that disease does somewhat protect some environments from human encroachment. My thought- strike all current human males sterile. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/47 "2015-08-28T18:58:07Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > One word- \*\*Bacon. \*\* > > I am with MEBuckner and would get rid of Polio. > > I considered Malaria or the Anopheles mosquito, but that disease does somewhat protect some environments from human encroachment. > > My thought- strike all current human males sterile. So…uh…if _all_ human males were sterile, then what’s the plan? I can fully understand you feeling that all humans should not be permitted to breed, but if all are sterile then you’re just voting for human extinction the slow way. I suppose if existence pressure were on like that, efforts to research a form of biological or technological immortality would have enormous resources poured into them. But it is not guaranteed these efforts would succeed… ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/48 "2015-08-28T19:08:49Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > So…uh…if _all_ human males were sterile, then what’s the plan? I can fully understand you feeling that all humans should not be permitted to breed, but if all are sterile then you’re just voting for human extinction the slow way. > > I suppose if existence pressure were on like that, efforts to research a form of biological or technological immortality would have enormous resources poured into them. But it is not guaranteed these efforts would succeed… " …strike all\*\* current \*\*human males sterile." Those not yet into puberty will soon be able to father kids, there are gallons in sperm banks, etc. We’d lose one generation of kids. That would be great. We’d likely be able to come up with a solution for Global Warming then, before it got too bad. ---
**Author:** ![No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/49 "2015-08-28T19:24:27Z")
Giant ragweed. If I’m limited to those 6, domestic cats. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/50 "2015-08-28T19:42:28Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > One word- \*\*Bacon. \*\* I’d rather switch from pork bacon to beef bacon than from ice cream to rice cream. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/51 "2015-08-28T19:45:29Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Fine, the fucking Anopheles mosquito. I’ve had malaria twice, yellowjackets only sting, If you kill malaria like Colibri suggested, then you can let those cute little Anopheles alone. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/52 "2015-08-28T19:48:25Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > He said we’re not limited to the 6 he mentioned. I figured the premise was we had to pick a desirable species. So we could substitute in something like horses but using this as a means to get rid of a species we don’t like anyway would just piss off God. And when God’s already in one of his extinction moods, you don’t want to piss him off any further. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/53 "2015-08-28T19:51:38Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > If it has to be one of this list : 1. Humans > 2. Cats > 3. Dogs > 4. Pigs > 5. Chickens > 6. Cows > extinct, > Well, it can’t be #1. If humans are extinct, no one cares what other animals survive - it is de facto the same as extincting the entire list and then some. (if the other animals are around but no humans enjoy them, they don’t matter) > > #2 and #3 are right out - these are critical companion animals. > > That leaves pigs, chickens, and cows. Well, chicken is the heathiest and most efficient meat of the 3. So that leaves pig vs cow. > > I enjoy steak far more than I enjoy pork chops and bacon. So that’s the decision, extinct those pigs. Other users may disagree and would rather the cows became extinct and leave the pigs - I guess I’d have to get used to the taste of bacon and porkchops in such a world… Humans are the main reason so many animals are extinct , I say get rid of human and let nature take is course . [http://news.discovery.com/animals/endangered-species/human-caused-322-animal-extinctions-in-past-500-years-140724.htm](http://news.discovery.com/animals/endangered-species/human-caused-322-animal-extinctions-in-past-500-years-140724.htm) ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/54 "2015-08-28T20:18:44Z")
Roaches. All of them. Fuck roaches! ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/55 "2015-08-28T22:12:40Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I could have sworn we did this recently. We did. I miss those rhinos. We should really use this power more wisely. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/56 "2015-08-28T22:51:15Z")
My choice: fleas. Aggravating little bastards that have no purpose in life. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/57 "2015-08-28T22:51:27Z")
From the list, I pick dogs. My ex-wife and her boyfriend live next door to me and my girls (yeah, lucky me) and their 3 flea-bitten, mangy dogs are always pooping on my lawn. They also gave our little shnoodle dog, Daisy, a bad case of fleas. I think God may mistake Daisy for a cat (she looks more feline than canine), so she may escape his wrathful extinction. If not…meh…she’s lived long enough and isn’t much fun in her twilight years anyway. Besides, I don’t like the taste of dog. Cat is ok (I’m pretty sure the Chinese fast food joint down the road uses cat in their moo goo gai pan–it’s purrrfect). If I can go off-list it’s a tie between [Pseudomonas aeruginosa](http://www.antimicrobe.org/new/b112.asp) (when they party in your flesh they smell nauseatingly like grapes) and chipmunks (they act all cute and all, but they’re nothing more than little furry assholes). I’m not too fond of 3-toed sloths, either. The one’s with 4 toes are ok, though. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/58 "2015-08-28T23:13:43Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > "… > I’d have to go with the pandas, too. > [@jz78817](#): > > no, I had some of the bastards build a nest in the exterior wall of my apartment, and they started inviting themselves in. … disconcerting … ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/59 "2015-08-28T23:19:48Z")
Wow! I’m amazed. My house has been infested with pandas on multiple occasions. Glad to know I’m not alone. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124/60 "2015-08-29T01:16:53Z")
_Musca domestica,_ the common housefly. Filthy as fuck, uglier than sin, and considered by the ancients to be the only one of earth’s creatures not designed by God. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-make-any-one-species-go-extinct-which-would-it-be/729124.md?page=4)