Two species in particular that show important potential are the jojoba and the guayule. The jojoba produces an oil with many unique properties that are suitable for a variety of industrial processes. In the past, the only comparable oil was derived from the sperm whale, but overharvesting has brought this great marine mammal to the brink of extinction. The guayule is a shrub containing high amounts of natural rubber, as well as a resin rich in other valuable substances. Both plants grow in the deserts of the southwestern United States, giving economic value to lands not suitable for other agricultural purposes, and they could provide domestic sources of products that would otherwise have to be imported.
Many individual species are uniquely important as indicators of environmental quality.
In another example, certain plants, such as the eastern white pine, are particularly good indicators of excess ozone, sulfur dioxide, and other air pollutants. If it were not for species like these, we may not have known about the effects of some contaminants until more damage was done. The Texas wild-rice could someday be used to make other strains more productive. Aside from the more concrete reasons for preserving endangered species, moral considerations are often mentioned. Many people believe that every creature, after adapting for thousands or even millions of years to fit a constantly changing environment, has an intrinsic right to exist.