Animals are important to humankind in several ways. From an economic perspective, animals like livestock and fish serve as important commodities that supply food resources to humans. They form an essential part of biodiversity that humans depend on for their day-to-day life.

From an ecological perspective, animals perform crucial functions in ecosystems. They help in capturing and storing energy, producing and decomposing organic materials, cycling water and nutrients, and regulating the climate. These functions are vital for ecosystem functioning and ultimately for human survival. Since all forms of life are closely interlinked, the loss of animal species causes environmental imbalance that may threaten human existence itself.