Abstract:
Tropical conservation biology, like other conservation
biology, contains a large and necessary emotional element.
People lobby to save that which they take pleasure
in. Tropical forests have largely been cleared to
produce products for humans. Clearing tropical forest
to generate pasture for livestock is an ancient tradition.
Beef and other animal products are often produced in
substantial excess over local consumption, and the excess
(or even more) is sold on international markets.
The livestock industry is a conspicuous, easy and sometimes
legitimate target for the conservationist intent on
saving tropical forest. However, the "tropics" is as
heterogeneous in its sociology as it is in its biology.
What is appropriate for one country is inappropriate for
another.
