Four Guiding Concepts of NAT
The Noah's Ark Today slideshow presents four guiding concepts:
• INTERDEPENDENCE: People and animals have lived together for thousands
of years, and depended on each other. Animals provide people with food,
fiber and services, including companionship, and people provide animals
places to live, food, water and security during their lifetime.
• GENETIC DIVERSITY: Domestic species are divided into breeds,
which are distinct and consistent groups of animals. Breeds have been
shaped by environmental adaptation and by selection for the jobs people
needed them to perform. Breeds are genetic units. Rare breeds are often
uniquely adapted to specific environments. They may have useful characteristics
not found in other breeds. Having a variety of breeds in each domestic
species strengthens the overall health oif the species, and helps people
learn about that species, the animal kingdom, the environment, and human
cultures. The genetic diversity represented by rare breeds is a necessary
resource for the future.
• HABITAT LOSS: Domestic species – such as chickens, cows,
and horses – are not endangered and will probably never become extinct.
Breeds within each of these species, however, may become rare and even
extinct. This is due to changes in agriculture, which can be compared
to a loss of habitat for wild animal species. Rare breeds help keep small
farms viable. Small farms can use rare breeds for sustainable practices.
Small farms play important roles in maintaining open space, clean water,
and fresh air. The loss of farms that support rare breeds represents both
an environmental and cultural loss.
• CONSERVATION: Rare breeds should be conserved for all the reasons
above: genetic diversity, unique characteristics, adaptation and habitat;
and also because they represent a part of our cultural heritage. Rare
breeds played a critical role in the establishment of the United States
of America. Young people across the U. S. are involved in breed conservation.
