This relational value, however, is contingent on human existence, as it depends on our capacity to recognize it. It is objective in the sense of being intersubjectively valid—a judgment based on subjective experience that all humans ought to share. Virtue-based judgments, including respect for nature, possess this intersubjective character. They do not require proof of objective value but instead focus on clarifying what constitutes a good way to live. For virtue ethics, the task is to act rightly, at the right time, for the right reasons, and with the right means.
I like this point of view because as much as humans play a part in the extinction process, when were humans considering how animals actually live? The judgement of humans is what is holding us back from being understanding. Creating an entirely new species would be to make a shift in nature completely. We as humans do not know enough about nature to take that large of a step. Studying where we can find better ways to encourage life in the environment would be a better approach.