When a Frog Used to be Just a Frog
     Here in Central  Oregon we have about 45,000 acres of agriculture land that depends on several irrigation districts for their water supply. These districts in turn depend on the Deschutes River for water. These lands get water via canals that wander around this part of the state. It seems that this system has worked for many years. Now we have a problem and this comes from the Oregon Spotted Frog. (I think it's a first cousin to the Spotted Owl) In 2014, the US Fish and Wildlife Service put this frog on an endangered species list.
     It seems the reason for the decreased number of these frogs is because during the winter months the flow in the Deschutes River is diminished in order to fill the reservoirs that then supply the water to these agriculture lands during the spring and summer.
     A report by Dylan J. Darling appearing in The Bulletin explains that the Center for Biological Diversity and the WaterWatch of Oregon have filed preliminary injunctions to get the water management organization to change their ways and leave enough water in the river, during the winter, to support this frog and its relatives.
     The report went on to say, ". . . people who draw water from the district may face abrupt and severe restrictions." That is if the injunctions are upheld.

     Now my point  -  (I can hear y'all saying, "It's about time!")

     Huge amounts of money are being spent to protect this frog, and that doesn't yet include the economic downside to the people on these 45,000 acres and the downstream economic impact if what they grow is curtailed. The cost of saving this frog could be huge. Now I have no problem with saving species from going instinct. But where do we draw the line? At which point do we say "The cost to save this frog is too much?"
     This kind of thing is happening all over the world. I'd guess that it's happening more in developed countries than the developing countries which usually don't have the resources to take care of their people and endangered species at the same time.
     And some of these problems with endangered species comes from man trying to manipulate his environment. And those manipulations were always done in the name of bettering the lives of people. One simple example is taking cane toads to Australia to solve an environmental problem.

My last point  -  (big sighs and rolling the eyes is not becoming)

     Where were the environmentalists when the dinosaurs were roaming the earth and looking for someone to save them? We could still have them with us today if someone would have just taken an interest.