What Does Wildlife Conservation Mean to You?
What does wildlife conservation mean to you? As such a perplex question it is, it has a simple answer. However, before anyone can understand what wildlife conservation means to them, they must first thoroughly understand what it means at its core. Wildlife conservation is not solely safari rangers battling gangs on the Zimbabwe frontier; nor is it as simple as rescuing a kitten from a tree. While it most certainly encompasses both of these, it entails a much broader and sophisticated scope of challenges.
Wildlife conservation teams work effortlessly to protect our natural wildlife from poachers, as is the common story portrayed on social networks and television documentaries. While it is true that it is an issue, it is only exposed to its degree for viewership. The truer and arguably more important focus is what wildlife conservation is at its core: conserving the protection and maintenance of our wildlife and their habitats.
This is where organizations and institutions such as World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and accredited zoos come into play. They fight on the front lines to support our environment and their inhabitants. Also, they help educate the public and offer ways for everyone to help and aid.
What does wildlife conservation mean to you?
The conservation of our wildlife and their habitats has five key driven points as identified by WWF:
Saving a planet of life.
- Improving human lives.
- Species recovery.
- Inspiration.
- Helping populations thrive.
Saving a Planet of Life
Our world is the only planet we get. There is no second chance when it comes to our environment. If we continue on our path, Mother Nature will have no choice but to obliterate the human race and start fresh. She has already committed five mass extinctions. However, there is still hope. Many of us have seen the error in our ways and are coming together to put an end to the atrocities of our species. Many countries, such as France, have introduced legislation and long term plans to steer towards an environmentally friendly world of living. In turn, we will be saving the wildlife and their habitats, which will continue to aid in our own prosperity.
Improving Human Lives
The protection and longevity of our wildlife has a profound impact on our lives. With their protection, they have a large impact on the goods and services which allow for our livelihoods. Our wildlife secure the possibility for humankind’s health and well-being through the natural outcomes of their existence.
WWF compiles the best and most thoughtful list attributing the key factors that our wildlife and their protection offer to our own species.
- Clean water.
- Food.
- Fibers.
- Building Materials.
- Medicines.
- Energy.
- Fertile soils.
- Climate regulation.
- Transport.
- Recreational and spiritual values.
All these are important roles that our wildlife play in our cultures. They often go underestimated and even unnoticed. However, as our ways progress towards the collapse of our natural ecosystems, we are seeing the impacts of their losses every day. Human life is dependent on the existence of our wildlife. It is time we stand up and fight for it.
Species Recovery
Wildlife conservation organizations and zoos have been solely responsible for recovering desperate species and preventing total extinctions. Many zoos take part in the AZA’s Species Survival Plan Program. The SSP is a program aimed to manage the breeding of over 181 individual species with 113 different SSPs. One of my favourite stories is captured in the Scientific American article, How Do Zoos Help Endangered Animals?
Here, the author explains in more detail what the SSP is and how zoos can take part. He also includes the short snippet of the Bongos. Bongos are one of my favourite species of antelope. They look like a mix of horse and goat, and the males have astonishing gorgeous antlers. Native to central Arica, they are vulnerable to tourist safari hunting. In the last three generations, 20% of the population has declined. Justifiably, their conservation status is marked at Near Threatened (NT).
However, there is still some sunshine to be seen. Due to the AZA’s SSP, captive-bred bongos are being released into the wild, helping the declining population increase! While there is much work to be done, this glimmer of hope can fuel a conservationist’s fire.
Inspiration
I have to pull this source directly from the WWF’s website because I love it so much. There aren’t many stories with this unique twist to it. It’s about the Irrawaddy dolphin. It is estimated that only 85 individual dolphins exist in the Mekong River. Their biggest threat is bycatch. Unsafe fishing practices cause these wonderful creatures to get caught up in the fishing gear. While that’s happening, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has built a hydro power dam one kilometer from their core habitat. This would only ensure their extinction. With plans to start commercial use early this year, it is currently unclear whether the operation will cease.
How is this inspirational? I know I’ve done nothing but share the negative side. However, the WWF successfully made the wonderful dolphin the face of the global campaign, Smiling Face of the Mekong, in an attempt to stop the dam. This campaign influenced more than a quarter of a million people globally to join WWF in saying no! Over a quarter of a million! That’s insane. That’s inspirational. This gorgeous species is literally holding on to its last string and a quarter of a million people stepped up and said no. Now we just need the Lao PDR to listen.
Helping Populations Thrive
All over the world, wildlife conservation organizations are helping populations thrive in addition to protecting them from extinction. The WWF plays a key role in ensuring that the population of the wild tiger doubles by 2022. Another instance is seen in the wonderful outcome of the WCS’s zebra reintroduction plan. In October, WCS reintroduced 22 zebras to Tanzania’s Southern Highlands. Over the past 5 months, these beautiful creatures have thrived! When a small WCS team went back to visit, they even noticed that a mare was delightfully pregnant.
What Does This Mean to You?
In a world of darkness, there is still enough light in which to bask. Acknowledging the impact that our wildlife has on us allows us to fight for them in an educated and safe manner. These wonderful creatures give us fresh air and water. They enrich the soil and provide us food in many forms. Most animals play significant roles in cultural and religious ideologies.
What does this mean to you? Ultimately, it means that our species relies on the existence of our wildlife and their habitats. Not the other way around.
