An extremely important medicine obtained from the poison of a snake . There was a lovely photograph of the reptile and an explanation told us that the poison of a Brazilian viper cointains proteins which reduce arterial pressure as well as dilation of the blood vessels. Therefore, these animals are very useful to cure heart diseases. Perhaps better than many theories, this practical example justifies that we should protect biodiversity.
Nature still has many opportunities to offer, which can bring and extraordinary benefit to humanity.
It is true that biodiverstity has sense in itself and that some ethic values give an important responsability to human beings in order to protect it. It is also true that the environmental conditions that make human life possible depend on the existence of a wide range of ecosystems carrying out their specific function. This argument already gives sense to an appropiate political system which would aim to protect the environmental heritage. The 29th of December has been proclaimed the Biodiversity International Day, in order to remember and diffuse these considerations. It is an appropiate date to think about the role that governments and citizens must play in order to recognize that there is a very important link between the preservation of biological diversity and the sustainable development of mankind.