Saving animals vs. saving species

From Aeon: "(M)any rehab experts acknowledge that their hard work makes little to no impact on the conservation of populations. And yet, they continue to help suffering animals, while donors continue to give money and animal-lovers go on celebrating dramatic rescue stories. That contrast fits into a decades-long tension between environmentalism and animal rights. On one side are those who think that species matter most. On the other are those who insist that acknowledging an animal's suffering is an ethical imperative."