Money spent saving the Moapa dace was well worth it

In his March 22 letter, Pat Russell takes exception with the remarkable efforts to save the endangered Moapa dace from extinction, complaining that too many resources have been put into saving “one tiny fish.” But such complaints ignore the value of species, even small ones such as the dace — and the profoundly dangerous consequences of extinction.

Scientists have determined that we’re losing species at a rate greater than 1,000 times natural levels — which, given that most of our medicines and foods come from species, is alarming. To reverse this trend, we must protect species’ habitat, which is exactly what the Southern Nevada Water Authority did when it purchased and protected the Warm Springs Natural Area.

Such protection not only benefits the dace and dozens of other wildlife species that depend on the springs and a healthy Muddy River, but also people, who can now enjoy this beautiful area.