Species losing their fight for survival should be left to become extinct, if it means having resources free for other animals and plants, a survey of professional conservationists has found.
Experts are beginning to resign themselves to the idea that certain animals and plants are just too difficult to save.
A majority of the 583 experts surveyed by an academic at York University believe the time has come to consider shifting efforts away from endangered species such as pandas and tigers, to concentrate on others that have more chance of flourishing in the wild.