--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: understand that the greatest danger to…" description: "\"“understand that the greatest danger to wildlife was not poaching but habitat destruction—the same thing that ultimately threatened humans.”\" — Judith ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/judith-d-schwartz-9338_animals_understand-that-the-greatest-danger-to-w_282502.jpg" --- # understand that the greatest danger to wildlife was not… ![“understand that the greatest danger to wildlife was not poaching but habitat destruction—the same thing that ultimately threatened humans.” quote by Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/judith-d-schwartz-9338_animals_understand-that-the-greatest-danger-to-w_282502.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/judith-d-schwartz-9338_animals_understand-that-the-greatest-danger-to-w_282502.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/judith-d-schwartz-9338_animals_understand-that-the-greatest-danger-to-w_282502.jpg) > ““understand that the greatest danger to wildlife was not poaching but habitat destruction—the same thing that ultimately threatened humans.”” [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The biggest threat to wildlife is habitat loss, which also endangers humans, highlighting interconnected ecosystems. **In simple terms:** Habitat loss harms both animals and people. Key Takeaway Protect habitats to safeguard all species. Themes environment conservation interdependence human impact Mood concerned hopeful Type advocacy educational When to use this quote - urban development - deforestation mitigation Key Concepts ecosystem services biodiversity loss climate change policy advocacy Questions to Reflect On - What policies can balance development and habitat preservation? - How can individuals reduce their ecological footprint? A Different Perspective Habitat protection can conflict with economic interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Wildlife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wildlife/) ## Related quotes > [“The greatest threat to all wild animals is the loss of habitat—the destruction of the areas and resources they need to survive. Climate change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/the-greatest-threat-to-all-wild-animals-is-the-loss-of-habitat-the/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [Climate change, habitat destruction, extinctions - the Earth has seen it all before, thousands of years ago. And humans may have been partly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/climate-change-habitat-destruction-extinctions-the-earth-has-seen-it/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [I believe our biggest issue is the same biggest issue that the whole world is facing, and that's habitat destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-irwin/i-believe-our-biggest-issue-is-the-same-biggest-issue-that-the-whole/) [Steve Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-irwin/) > [(The processes are) doubly ruinous: they impoverish the earth by hastily removing, for the benefit of a few generations, the common resources which, once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/the-processes-are-doubly-ruinous-they-impoverish-the-earth-by-hastily/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [So much of the habitat destruction and pollution is based on the simple principle that we somehow have been given free license over other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/so-much-of-the-habitat-destruction-and-pollution-is-based-on-the/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [“No matter how few possessions you own or how little money you have, loving wildlife and nature will make you rich beyond measure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-oxton/no-matter-how-few-possessions-you-own-or-how-little-money-you-have/) [Paul Oxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-oxton/) > [In terms of security for wildlife and our society, it's an incredibly alarming situation, and we need to address that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronika-varekova/in-terms-of-security-for-wildlife-and-our-society-it-s-an-incredibly/) [Veronika Varekova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronika-varekova/) > [“Who’s gonna bring the wild animals some hope? If we don’t love them the way they are..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/who-s-gonna-bring-the-wild-animals-some-hope-if-we-don-t-love-them/) [Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/) > [“The smaller the creature, the bolder its spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-smaller-the-creature-the-bolder-its-spirit/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Since writing JAWS, I've been lucky enough to do close to forty television shows about wildlife in the oceans, and yes, I have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/since-writing-jaws-i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-do-close-to-forty/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“The future of wildlife and the habitat that they depend on is being destroyed. It is time to make nature and all the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-oxton/the-future-of-wildlife-and-the-habitat-that-they-depend-on-is-being/) [Paul Oxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-oxton/) > [I think my path would have always gone back to or delivered me to wildlife. I think wildlife is just like a magnet, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-irwin/i-think-my-path-would-have-always-gone-back-to-or-delivered-me-to/) [Steve Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-irwin/) > [There is a limit to political and public tolerance for sacrifice on behalf of wildlife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-rinella/there-is-a-limit-to-political-and-public-tolerance-for-sacrifice-on/) [Steven Rinella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-rinella/) > [Are humans ever going to get smart enough to realize how cruel it is to eliminate entire species that we think are annoying? Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jomon-johny/are-humans-ever-going-to-get-smart-enough-to-realize-how-cruel-it-is/) Jomon Johny > [After 20 years of painting wildlife subjects in acrylic, I felt the need for a change and began to explore portraiture and landscape in oils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-parker/after-20-years-of-painting-wildlife-subjects-in-acrylic-i-felt-the/) Ron Parker ## More by Judith D. Schwartz > [“grasslands, grazing mammals, and pack-hunting predators evolved together. So if domestic herbivores can be managed such that their behavior mimics that of their wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/grasslands-grazing-mammals-and-pack-hunting-predators-evolved/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“Steven Apfelbaum, a restoration ecologist in Wisconsin, says that every 1 percent increase in soil carbon holds an additional sixty thousand gallons of water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/steven-apfelbaum-a-restoration-ecologist-in-wisconsin-says-that-every/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“First you’ve got to change the ideology,” she says. “Until you can show people that they’re losing profits, you can’t get them to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/first-you-ve-got-to-change-the-ideology-she-says-until-you-can-show/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“According to Christine Jones, soils hold more carbon than the atmosphere and all the world’s plant life combined—and can hold it longer, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/according-to-christine-jones-soils-hold-more-carbon-than-the/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“from a soil microorganism point of view, a crop monoculture is akin to junk food: “If there’s just wheat or any one thing, it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/from-a-soil-microorganism-point-of-view-a-crop-monoculture-is-akin-to/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“Organisms we can’t see are accorded the same respect as those that are big and flashy or promise to give a nice immediate kick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/organisms-we-can-t-see-are-accorded-the-same-respect-as-those-that/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“One farmer I met, Gene Goven of Turtle Lake, North Dakota, put it more succinctly: “You build soil where the roots go—down!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/one-farmer-i-met-gene-goven-of-turtle-lake-north-dakota-put-it-more/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“Every field that’s turned into a parking lot or industrial park means more water siphoned off into gutters and culverts and less water in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/every-field-that-s-turned-into-a-parking-lot-or-industrial-park-means/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“the problem isn’t the amount of carbon per se—the quantity of carbon on earth is constant—but where that carbon is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/the-problem-isn-t-the-amount-of-carbon-per-se-the-quantity-of-carbon/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“Slaps in the face like this provide opportunities for change. A drought definitely gets people thinking about how they can manage resources better. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/slaps-in-the-face-like-this-provide-opportunities-for-change-a/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“the planet’s current vegetative cover captures around 3000 EJ of the sun’s energy. This photosynthetic capacity would appear to be sufficient to feed only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/the-planet-s-current-vegetative-cover-captures-around-3000-ej-of-the/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“The use of chemical fertilizers and other treatments has increased worldwide as large tracts of agricultural land are turned over to commodity mono-crops. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/the-use-of-chemical-fertilizers-and-other-treatments-has-increased/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“Consider that farmers are sued when genetically manipulated seeds they don’t even want sprout on their soil. (The pretext: This is “patent infringement” and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/consider-that-farmers-are-sued-when-genetically-manipulated-seeds/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“The concept of the biotic pump, if correct, brings a new urgency to the need to conserve forests.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/the-concept-of-the-biotic-pump-if-correct-brings-a-new-urgency-to-the/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) > [“the continent with the highest proportion of its dryland areas classified as severe or moderately desertified is North America, at 74 percent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-d-schwartz/the-continent-with-the-highest-proportion-of-its-dryland-areas/) [Judith D. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) [Explore all 73 Judith D. Schwartz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-d-schwartz/) ## More Animals quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [We animals are the most complicated things in the known universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-animals-are-the-most-complicated-things-in-the-known-universe/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“All these creatures spend their time explaining, realizing happily that they agree with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/all-these-creatures-spend-their-time-explaining-realizing-happily/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-need-in-a-special-way-to-work-twice-as-hard-to-help-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [No creature can attain a higher grade of nature without ceasing to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananda-coomaraswamy/no-creature-can-attain-a-higher-grade-of-nature-without-ceasing-to/) [Ananda Coomaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananda-coomaraswamy/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) [Browse all 6,813 Animals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“understand that the greatest danger to wildlife was not poaching but habitat destruction—the same thing that ultimately threatened humans.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Judith D. 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