Although not the most numerous group of animals in either number of individuals or in number of taxa, the vertebrates are an endlessly fascinating group of animals. Vertebrates are interesting partly because we are intimately familiar with them, but also because we ARE them. Our species, Homo sapiens , is included within the Vertebrata.
Vertebrates are also interesting because they are easy to find.
Many other groups of organisms cannot be seen with the naked eye or reside in places inhospitable to humans, like the sea floor. We coexist with many other vertebrates and are often quite aware of them in our environment. We also have many biological, social, cultural and historical ties with vertebrates. We have domesticated dogs, cats, and birds, and have used horses as a means of transporation. We have used carrier pigeons as a means of communicating over long distances.