The question
Because respect for animals and environmentalism have different goals, some people think environmentalists should always oppose helping wild animals. The author shows this isn't true, for three reasons.
1. Some kinds of help serve both goals
Some ways of helping animals also help environmental goals. For example, treating diseases in bees can reduce their suffering and, at the same time, lower the risk that bee species go extinct.
2. Many kinds of help don't get in the way of environmental goals
There are many ways of helping that, even if they don't help the environment, don't harm it either. Rescuing injured animals after disasters, for example, usually doesn't threaten any species or ecosystem.
3. When there's a conflict, those who can feel should come first
Even in cases where helping animals goes against an environmental goal, there are reasons to give priority to preventing the suffering and death of sentient beings. And that holds even for people who think species and ecosystems have some value in themselves.
In short
- Some ways of helping animals also help the environment.
- Many others don't get in the way of environmental goals.
- When there's a conflict, there are reasons to put beings that can feel first.