Editors Opinons

Rhea says....

The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster is very unique to its ecosystem. It shares qualities that benefit its habitat greatly. The Giant Lobster is a detritivore, which means they keep nutrients moving in their food webs. Being a detritivore means that they are primary consumers in their food chain. If the necessary numbers of lobsters are not present to perform this job anymore in their ecosystem then the dead leaves and decaying material will build up in their habitat. They eat detritus, which consists of dead leaves, body parts and feces. They are basically nature’s recyclers and if these decomposers did not do their job and were not there then the producers would not be able to be able to get nutrients they need and would die. The whole ecosystem would be put out of place if the lobsters were not there.

The extinction of the Tasmanian Lobster will cause a downward spiral in freshwater streams and will directly affect the health and survival of the other species that also live in that ecosystem. Not having the lobster will disrupt the balance of the ecosystem for other animal species that need clear waters in these habitats to survive. People do not notice that not having the lobster is actually a big issue and will affect the ecosystem they live in negatively. The overfishing, climate change and habitat disturbance that the lobster is experiencing is leading to the gradual decline in this species declining in numbers. These lobsters’ habitats are getting destroyed from our doings. We are ruining their habitats by tearing them down, causing bank erosion, overfishing and putting toxic chemicals in their creeks. Overfishing plays a huge role in why the lobster are becoming extinct. Since lobsters reproduce very slowly it is very hard for them to repopulate once their species has lost so many. They move very slowly so they are easily caught by fisherman and then brought to restaurants. They are more expensive since they are so huge and rare which means fisherman really look for the Giant lobster to catch. Australia does not publicize the issue of the Giant Lobster becoming extinct because Australia makes a huge profit off of selling lobsters as expensive delicacies and dishes to the public. The lobster is actually very underestimated for what they actually do in their ecosystem. To people they are just looked as an expensive dish in a restaurant, but without the lobster in freshwater creeks and rivers it would cause a downward spiral of drastic changes. These changes would affects all the plant and animal life that are also living in the lobsters same ecosystem.

The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster needs to be saved. The public only sees how they are an expensive dish in a fancy restaurant and nothing more. Nobody thinks about why they were created and how they actually help their habitat function. They are so important and we need to accentuate their role in their ecosystem. Without the Giant Lobster Australia's creeks and rivers will have more turbidity, stagnation, and toxins will build up in the water. The chemistry of the water could then change making it more acidic and cause turbidity. It can affect the amount of oxygen, the health of aquatic plant life and the balance of microorganisms in the water. Showing people that the lobster is actually important is a crucial aspect and we as humans are taking away these poor invertebrates opportunities to maintain survival.

Noah says...

Is it worth it to save the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster? When discussing the future of a creature on earth, I believe that one thing should be remembered, the simple fact that once a species is extinct, they are gone for good. There is no back button or undo that can be pushed, it is simply gone. Whether it be a cute and majestic tiger or a beautiful lobster, we should not sit idly by and watch a creature that has lived on this planet fade away. So to answer the question, yes, it is worth saving.

The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster was not endangered by a natural cause. They did not get hunted by animals to this level and they did not simply start to die out without a cause. We, as human beings caused their endangerment by destroying their natural habitat. I believe that that fact alone should make the answer to the question even more clear, if we have thrown their species to the brink of extinction, we should give them our all to save them.

Some may believe that economically it is not worth it to save the Lobster, but what legitimacy does that claim hold. The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster was for the longest time a delicacy in Australia and Tasmania before a ban was placed on the fishing and selling of it, a major reason why it is extinct in the first place. But, if we managed, and correctly fished these creatures after they are able to recover, they could become economically beneficial to the region. An opportunity that would be completely squandered if we simply let the lobster cease to exist.

Lastly, The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster is the largest freshwater invertebrate in the world. We cannot sit back and watch a record setting creature like this lobster go extinct, it must be preserved for future generations. If one day a child wants to learn about giant animals, wouldn't it be great if they could see this creature with there own eyes, instead of seeing the look of disappointment on that child's face when they learn that the majestic Giant Freshwater Lobster went extinct because their grandparents couldn't stop chopping down trees in the forest. I believe that we owe it to them, to protect and save this majestic creature.

Without our protection, it will go extinct, no matter how you crunch the numbers, so I believe that it is now or never to step in and put an end to desecration of the species. It is 100 percent worth it to save them, and since we are the sole cause of their decline, I believe that we must give them the chance to recover.

Cheyenne says…

The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster may not be the cutest or most cuddly species but it is valuable to its ecosystem and our planet's biodiversity. I have always believed in animals and their intrinsic value to live, however; in the past I have always focused on the majestic animals that received a lot of attention. For example, the polar bears, the wolves and the elephants. These creatures are recognized globally for their unique beauty, habitats and characteristics. They hold significance both environmentally and culturally but researching the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster made me realize that there are so many species that need and deserve protection that receive little to no global recognition.

Before this project I didn’t know the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster existed. The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster is endemic to Tasmania and because of this it understandable that this lobster isn’t globally known, however, just because it only exists in one small area on the planet doesn’t make it any less important. Without the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster Tasmanian creeks, rivers and freshwater species would suffer, as you learned on our page ‘Reasons for Endangerment.’ Throughout this project I have tried to identify with the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster and relate to its situation and the risks Tasmania is at if the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster does go extinct. A big reason for the endangerment of the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster is due to overfishing. Overfishing is an issue that many ecosystems and communities are suffering from all over the planet. Due to my understanding of the hazards of overfishing I was able to relate to the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster better. This lobster is being overfished; the large fully grown lobster which are ready to reproduce are being removed for human consumption. This has a terrific impact on the survival rates and makes it extremely difficult for the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster to bounce back. I understand sustainable fishing for human consumptions, however; it is mind boggling for me to imagine humans consuming a species so much that we bring it to extinction. If we enjoy consuming it, make money off of it, and it plays a significant role in its ecosystem then what is the point of killing the entire species off?!

I also connected to the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster by considering my lobster consumption, which has been near to none my entire life. Although I’ve never eaten much lobster, I am aware that people all over the world like to eat lobsters and many people depend on lobster fishing as a source of income. Since lobsters hold cultural and environmental significance it seems to me that it would make sense to most people to save lobsters globally. The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster in particular is special because it only exists in one small area on our planet, northern Tasmania.

The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster received a larger amount of attention in the late 90’s, which is great. Without it, it is very possible that the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster would be extinct today. Thankfully, the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster still lives to this day. It is my hope that the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster will continue to receive attention in Tasmania and Australia and make a healthy comeback.

Before this project I would have told you that this species should be saved because I believe in animals’ rights to live. After existential amounts of research I still believe The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster deserves to be saved.