Seeing an endangered animal eating an endangered plant is one of those unusual moments you sometimes encounter in life that are simultaneously ironic and amusing. You might as well smile about this humorous situation. Usually, a species becomes endangered because of the activity of an animal that is not endangered, namely man. An example is Houghton's Goldenrod, found on the shores of the Great Lakes. According to The Great Lakes Ecological Assessment, human shoreline activities are to blame.
You also can mentally pat yourself on the back if you see this sight because it means you must be able to identify plant and animal species extremely well and be knowledgeable enough to know that these two species are in danger of extinction. Few people are armed with this much awareness of the natural world.
There may be occasions when an endangered plant is so rare that it is enclosed within a fenced off area as part of a recovery plan. If the fence has been breached or has been damaged by the weather, animals might be able to trample or eat the plant. Look around for an information board. If you find one, look for a hotline telephone number and make a call. Explain the situation and you will be told what to do next.
You also might want to take a photograph of this paradoxical scene to show to friends. Spreading the word about endangered species is a good way to make people more aware of the dangers. An animal eating a plant is natural and, usually, plants will survive because they grow from their roots, which are underground. Much more damage is done to plants through loss of habitat by competition from other plants, illegal collection by humans, excavation activities and chemical assault.