With biodiversity shrinking as species of plants dwindle, shrinking biodiversity is a problem that affects us all. A study carried out by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization found that the diversity of domesticated animals around the world is also quickly shrinking.

The study indicates that at least one breed per month of domesticated animals is going extinct, and reports that 20 percent of existing domesticated animal breeds are in serious danger of extinction.

The cause of these problems is the global food industry that places higher value on a narrow range of high-yield, fast-growing food animals over the more diverse and native breeds.

History has shown the dangers of relying on a small number of staple crops. When the environment changes, as ours is, this can spell disaster for entire societies who rely on the crops for food.

What can you do to promote biodiversity in domestic animals?

• If you eat meat, choose sustainably raised heritage varieties. Organizations such as Slow Food USA list farmers and ranchers who are dedicated to preserving native biodiversity.
• Join groups like the Center for Biological Diversity to take action and get involved in lobbying for change to preserve biodiversity and work on conservation projects.
• You can support organizations like Heifer International which provides domesticated animals to people in other countries so they can support their families.

More Information

Breeds of Livestock
Created by the Department of Science at Oklahoma State University, this site includes an extensive listing of domestic animal breeds, complete with background information and photographs.

Seed Savers Exchange
This nonprofit organization is dedicated to preserving and sharing heirloom seed varieties. Their site includes information about heirloom plant varieties and an extensive catalog of heirloom seeds.

The ARK USA
Created by Slow Food, The ARK is a project designed to preserve foods that are at risk of becoming ‘extinct’ – this includes rare varieties of fruits and vegetables, heritage breeds of animals, and foods created using increasingly uncommon methods of production.

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
This nonprofit organization works to protect endangered livestock breeds from extinction. Their website includes a list of rare and endangered breeds along with numerous links to additional sources of information.