# Species that should become extinct? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795 "2005-12-15T20:16:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tarrsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tarrsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarrsk)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795/41 "2005-12-17T09:15:30Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > But - but - but… > > They’re vampire bats! They’re cool! This just about sums it up for me. In addition to their Amazing Versatile Kidneys, vampire bats are also the only bat species capable of taking up vertically (they have incredibly strong shoulder muscles that launch them three feet straight up). They can also scuttle sideways and backwards like crabs, and their teeth self-sharpen. They’re _awesome_. ---
**Author:** ![Tarrsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tarrsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarrsk)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795/42 "2005-12-17T09:16:57Z")
> [@Tarrsk](#): > > This just about sums it up for me. In addition to their Amazing Versatile Kidneys, vampire bats are also the only bat species capable of taking up vertically (they have incredibly strong shoulder muscles that launch them three feet straight up). They can also scuttle sideways and backwards like crabs, and their teeth self-sharpen. They’re _awesome_. Taking _off_, not taking _up_. Rrgh. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795/43 "2005-12-17T09:30:41Z")
I wouldn’t cry if cockroaches became extinct. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795/44 "2005-12-17T10:40:47Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > I wouldn’t cry if cockroaches became extinct. But I’d cry if _you_ went extinct! I was lucky to spot a jabiru out of the corner of my eye while driving across the southern Yucatan peninsula. It was standing in a swampy, forested area. Man, those things are massive. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795/45 "2005-12-17T10:59:41Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > I wouldn’t cry if cockroaches became extinct. You might. Cockroaches do a damn fine job at waste removal. Bye bye cocroaches=waist high in crap. I don’t know about you but I would rather have cockroaches then mile high piles of crap! ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795/46 "2005-12-18T04:16:28Z")
> [@YaWanna](#): > > Well, gawd, **Pedro** , good to see you’re taking this in the spirit in which it’s offered. > > My brother’s proposition disgusts me because: he’d like to see laws protecting manatees, and funds & efforts dedicated to their preservation, eliminated simply because it might inconvenience him as a recreational boater. > > I came up with the vampire bat because: unlike other species of animals I can think of, I’m stumped when I try to determine what **positive** effect they have on (1) the environment in general, and (2) mankind in particular, and in fact it appears to me that their very means of sustenance causes harm to other living creatures in a way that I don’t seem to be able to appreciate. **But** , I qualified my answer by expressing the willingness to reconsider if someone shares with me information that demonstrates their importance in the ecological “big picture.” (By the way, the “icky” thing was ridiculous; I’d already mentioned that I’m a big fan of bats in general.) > > Do people have to explain sit-coms to you, too? I did qualify my answer “if you were serious”. It’s kind of a pet peeve of mine this subject. Anyway you say that you were joking but you make exactly the same points. Most living organisms cause harm in some way. We could debate what “positive effect” means, how it’s measured and whether it’s relevant all night long. **Telemark said it well**. The icky remark was regarding the blood feeding, maybe I misunderstood that. But you’re right, I probably shouldn’t have participated in this thread, I don’t care for its spirit and I think the premise is flawed. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795/47 "2005-12-18T04:36:52Z")
Homo Sapiens. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795/48 "2005-12-18T05:05:02Z")
Cats. ---
**Author:** ![Agnostic\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@Agnostic\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agnostic_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795/49 "2005-12-18T07:33:55Z")
I would have no problems if _Erythroxylum coca_ and _Papaver somniferum_ became extinct. (Not that it would stop all trafficking, synthetics would hit the streets rather quickly, but it would put an extreme dent in the market.) I would not miss [these guys](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slugs) either. One reason I refuse to believe in intelligent design. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/species-that-should-become-extinct/335795.md?page=2)