Wildlife Preservation

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Wildlife Preservation
by Tuvimanyu Gautam \| 17-03-2023 20:20 0
All said and done it’s the human activity or rather unchecked, unscrupulous human activity which is at the core of the loss of many species of flora and fauna on earth. Be it the population explosion or the man- made disasters, it’s the wildlife which bears the brunt. It is interesting to note that despite this awareness, the general population and the governments have not been able to find a solution to this issue. The callous attitude could be a consequence of the fact that loss of wildlife does not immediately and directly affect the human beings. Such a short-term approach to life on this planet where our lives are so interconnected can be catastrophic. To quote Catherine McKenzie-“…. if a butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazonian rain forest, it can change the weather half a world away.” Hence, though the rampant urbanisation creates more homes for humans, the land cleared for building those homes robs the wildlife of their habitat. Deforestation caused by clearing of forests to make way for urbanisation, affects animals by making food scarce and exposing them to risk of being hunted. The purposeful clearing of forested land to make way for agriculture or for grazing of deomesticated animals prioritises survival of one species over other. To begin with much of the Earth land was once forest and now only 31% of it is.The decrease in forest cover automatically translates into lesser area for wild animals to forage in. The habitat damage leads to biodiversity loss which over a period of time is the cause of extinction. The fact that the survival of human food systems is linked to biodiversity cannot be overlooked. Apart from the physical disappearance of species from the face of the earth and the break in the vital food chain, the destruction of wildlife habitats paired with the expansion of human habitats has blurred the line for transmission of zoonotic diseases. Ebola, corona, H1N1, to name a few, happened because the buffer zones which forests used to provide are no more in place. Habitat fragmentation, where a continuous tract of habitat is broken up into fragments, for example by a road or railroad passing through a woodland, increases the vulnerability of the wildlife populations by making it difficult to survive in congested habitats and shortening the food chain. Not to mention the mindless killing it ensues by creating more interface with humans. What then is the way forward with reversing this trend? How to reforest the land and re’wild’ the planet? Experiments and efforts have clearly shown the power of nature to replenish and renew itself when given a fair chance and a respite from the onslaught. In fact, if a badly charred site like Chernobyl can regrow and regreen itself on being left alone to itself, probable any piece of earth can. But, concerted human efforts can fast pace the process. The work of international organisations like World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, the Wildlife Conservation Society, along with various UN agencies have been doing sterling work on ground as well as in drafting internationally-binding policies. At national level, persuasive voices of aware citizens can work to propel the governments to take more stringent measures against poaching, illegal trafficking and trespassing into wild habitats. Simple measures like sustainable personal choices heeding the Reduce-Reuse-Refuse mantra can translate into lesser cutting of trees and felling of forests for resources. Having a home is the basic need of every creature, including wildlife. And lest we forget, “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed”.

Former E-gen Ambassador Tuvimanyu Gautam

4 Comments

Yewon Mentor

Yewon Mentor says :
Hello Tuvimanyu!
This is your mentor Yewon!

You have made an important point in the introduction of your report that wildlife is threatened by human activities. Also, I like the part you cited Catherine McKenzie's saying about the butterfly effect!

Furthermore, you suggested several means to preserve wildlife including efforts of international organizations like the World Wildlife Fund. I hope that these efforts can be put together to protect wildlife!

Thank you for your great work!
Posted 02-04-2023 14:15

James Mentor

James Mentor says :
Hello Tuvimanyu! This is your mentor James.

I can see that you have put in effort in writing about wildlife and habitat destruction. I'm especially interested in your opinion regarding zoonotic diseases. I didn't know that those kind of diseases are more easily spread when there is sufficient forestation. Habitat fragmentation definitely causes a detrimental effect on wildlife and the ecosystem due to reasons stated above.

I love that fact that you also listed means to pacify this phenomenon of wildlife destruction. Efforts in rebuilding the ecosystem in both national and individual scale is mandatory. Your last quote also struck me hard.

Thanks for your meaningful report! Hope to see more of this.
Posted 27-03-2023 13:49

Chananan Piriyalertsak