Our penchant for rarity could threaten conservation efforts

Rare plant and animal species are like rare stamps or coins: they are perceived to be inherently more valuable to people, whatever they look like. Researchers Elena Angulo and Franck Courchamp, from Université de Paris-Sud, have found that people are more attracted to species labeled "rare" than those labeled "common" even when they do not know which species are involved. The study, published April 22 in the online, open-access, peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE shows that this irrational value conferred to unknown items only for the sake of rarity is both an asset and a threat for conservation.

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