IELTS TASK 2: Helping those in need or protecting wildlife?

Some people hold that we should spend money and time on the protection of wild animals while others suggest that the money should be spent on populations living in the poorest areas of the world. What is your opinion?

There has been a rising sentiment that an appreciable amount of time and funding should be allocated toward wildlife protection. Some, however, contend that the budget can be put to better use by succoring those living in abject poverty. Personally, I partially concur that time and money could potentially be better spent on helping humanity.

On the one hand, the protection of wild animals is pivotal in maintaining the otherwise fragile equilibrium of the ecosystem. If one animal species were to be completely eradicated, other species might suffer indirectly from a lack of food resources as these prey may be the sole food source nourishing them. Consequently, those species may run the risk of becoming extinct themselves, thereby severely disrupting the food chain. Hence, the protection of wildlife is of paramount importance and requires adequate funding and time for it to be carried out. In other words, failure to pay due attention to wildlife protection endeavors can be tantamount to wreaking havoc on the ecosystem itself.

On the other hand, there are other sectors that are as important as wildlife protection when it comes to funding. One of which is to aid people living in the poorest area of the world. While the protection of wild animals may not have a tangible effect on humanity’s collective well-being, there are other facets of human society that do, such as infrastructure, healthcare, and education. By devoting sufficient money and time to bolstering these sectors, there can be marked improvements in the quality of life for the populations in impoverished countries. Venezuela, for instance, is currently facing a financial crisis that first escalated in 2013, rendering the country unable to improve the standard of living for its citizen. Therefore, government officials have to prioritize catering for their citizen's basic needs before allocating their budget toward protecting native wildlife.

In conclusion, I somewhat hold the belief that although investment in preserving wildlife has proven to be vital for ecological balance, our time and money should be justifiably spent on no less important causes such as giving aid to those under the poverty line.