My job was to roam from room to room. In each room, I was told, a near extinct animal was awaiting my verdict. In each room, a small group of my colleagues were surrounding the caged animal, commenting on its good and bad traits. As long as one of us objected, the animal would live, but we needed to be mindful of the quota, of course. He is beautiful, that we know for sure, one colleague said, but he eats too much. I read the sign next to the cage: Lion. Above the sign was another sign: Science kills but we need to be good gatekeepers. The creature in the cage had orange paint all over his face and wet, sunken eyes. His fur was a mess. Please, please, the lion pleaded. See, I’m a little boy. I am what you used to be. My colleague replied: But surely you know you eat too much.