Are we protecting nature when we genetically modify endangered species to protect them from extinction? For example, should we make endangered ferrets in America resistant to a disease imported by humans in the name of nature conservation? In this case, genetic engineering contributes to the preservation of natural species richness. But on the other hand, the targeted modification of the genome is an artificial intervention and the question arises whether the saved species are then still natural. How one answers this question is related to what one means by the terms “nature” and “natural” and how one understands the role of humans in nature. If by nature we mean that which exists without human influence, genetic engineering can hardly be a means of nature conservation. If we include humans in the term “nature,” we must ask which human actions belong to nature and which do not. The aim of this lecture is not to present a conclusive answer to the title question, but to present different answers from an environmental ethics perspective.