BIODIVERSITY LOSS - A CALL TO ACTION

Okoh Elijah (Nigeria)
Honorable Mentions

      It is highly exasperating to know that simply because endangered species cannot collectively engage in a peaceful or violent protest with placards or cardboard sheets boldly in scripted with the phrase “Leave us alone”, their lives constantly remains threatened by humans, as each passing day they draw closer to their clarion call.
      Firstly, the diminishing of the Earth's biological diversity has consequences far more profound than others, sometimes more widely recognized, environmental dilemmas. Because the loss is irreversible—species that are lost are lost forever. The potential impact on the human condition, on the fabric of the Earth's living systems, and on the process of evolution is immense. Our species has evolved biologically and culturally in a highly diverse world. Our interactions with other organisms have shaped our humanity in intricate ways, and our future cannot be separated from that of the life forms and ecosystems with which we share the planet. The conservation of biodiversity is a global responsibility. Each nation has a necessary role to play in finding new ways to manage biological resources and new ways to sustain commitment. As part of this responsibility, we need to identify what we do not know about biodiversity and the means that will be required to increase and disseminate our knowledge.
Biological diversity – or biodiversity – is the term given to the variety of life on Earth. It is the variety within and between all species of plants, animals and micro-organisms and the ecosystems within which they live and interact. Biodiversity comprises all the millions of different species that live on our planet, as well as the genetic differences within species. It also refers to the multitude of different ecosystems in which species form unique communities, interacting with one another and the air, water and soil.
The biodiversity we see today is a result of 3.5 billion years of evolution. Unfortunately, due to humanity’s over-exploitation of natural resources, our unsustainable development and the resulting disturbances to the environment, we are undergoing the sixth extinction crisis on this planet and degrading natural ecosystems at an unprecedented rate. It is estimated that the current species extinction rate is between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than it would naturally be. Biodiversity conservation is about saving life on Earth in all its forms and keeping natural ecosystems functioning and healthy. Conserving biodiversity means ensuring that natural landscapes, with their array of ecosystems, are maintained, and that species, populations, genes, and the complex interactions between them, persist into the future.
      Secondly, the potentials hidden in conserving biodiversity stands as a massive blessing to countries that properly understand the importance of these species. Each specie has a specific niche, a specific role and function in an ecosystem. These roles include capturing and storing energy, providing food, predation, decomposing organic matter, cycling water and nutrients, controlling erosion, controlling pests and climate regulation. Species support biological production and regulation throughout the food chain in a variety of ways, such as adding to soil fertility, pollination, plant growth, and waste decomposition. The outdoor tourism industry relies on biodiversity to create and maintain that which tourists come to see, as does the multi-billion-dollar fishing and hunting industry. The more diverse an ecosystem is, the more stable it is, the more productive it tends to be, and the better it is able to withstand environmental stress.  Interestingly, Nigerians depend largely on biodiversity resources for food supplies and supplements. Biodiversity therefore supports 70% -80% of food requirements of 70% of rural Nigerians, while about 30 -50% of urban and peri-urban communities depend on biodiversity for their nutritional support. The benefit of biodiversity to Nigeria is over 8 billion dollars per annum.
       Thirdly, just as life is like a coin with two sides, the numerous blessings that come with conserving biodiversity also faces great challenges. As we use biodiversity to meet our demands under the above points, population increase in the world stands as a major problem because it increases consumption creating pressure for using bio-resources more and more. Biodiversity is seriously under the threat of extinction from climate change, economic development, land use changes from agriculture, invasive species and pollution, crude oil exploration and exploitation, canalization that has threatened mainly the mangroves, deforestation, over hunting, land use, road and residential buildings construction. The natural habitats in Africa are being lost through anthropogenic activities of man, such as over harvesting of resources most notably timber. More than 21 million hectares of forest have been lost since 1970. Other threats to terrestrial habitat include bush fire especially in the savanna, soil preparation for agriculture and over fishing.
      Fourthly, after knowing these much challenges are affiliated with conserving biodiversity, one can almost conclude that it is a helpless situation but interestingly there are solutions to these hazardous challenges. Educate your family about endangered species in your area, recycle and buy sustainable products, grow native plants, volunteer your time to protect the wildlife in your area, do not purchase products from companies that are known polluters, black out the black market, herbicides and pesticides are hazardous pollutants that affect wildlife at many levels and  should be sternly discouraged.
Biodiversity conservation is vital for economic growth and poverty reduction. Majority of the world’s poor live in rural areas and depend upon forests, water, wetlands, fields and pastures for their livelihoods. Some 1.6 billion people in the world rely on forests and non-timber products for income and subsistence. In the developing world alone, 2.6 billion people depend on fisheries for protein and livelihoods. Africa and incidentally Nigeria have rich and varied biological resources forming its natural wealth in which its socio-economic system is based. Indeed, biodiversity conservation is an open cheque to a booming economy.
      Finally, we should always remember the popular saying, “You will never know the value of what you have until you lose it”. I just hope that some countries will not be full of regrets later because they simply failed to realize that animal lives also matter.