What is Wildlife?

Wildlife means plants, animals and microorganisms living in a forest, desert, plains, and grasslands.

Importance of wildlife

Wildlife is very important to humans it has a great significance in human life and we depend directly or indirectly on wildlife in every aspect of life. Wildlife is an integral part of an ecosystem.

• Humans as animals are interrelated and interdependent on WL for its survival.
• From clothes to medicine, building materials to a variety of chemicals all are extracted from existing WL around us.
• It is estimated that about 90% of the domestic food crops now cultivated are descendants of wild plants.
• Today, a variety of plant products rubber oils, dyes, fibers, etc. are supplied by wild plants.
• Plants recycle nutrients necessary for agricultural production and help maintain soil fertility.
• Wild plants and their extracts are a source of medicine for 80% of the world’s population.
• Wild plants are also sources of oxygen which is necessary for aerobic organisms.
• In wild animals insects and birds add to the economic gains through pollination of plants. They are important for the propagation of plants because they travel from one plant to another plant and as a result plant increase in number because of pollination.
• Wildlife maintains the balance of nature e.g. carnivore -herbivore balance.
• Soil erosion can be prevented by the wild plant cover.
• Wild animals use as experimental animals such as monkeys, rabbits, rats, etc.
• Wildlife provides a means of developing models for disorders of behavior and cognition.
• Wildlife is also important in nutrient recycling such as decomposers.
• Wild animals are important in cleaning the environment because when animals eat dead animals they clean the environment.
• Wildlife helps to maintain the health of the ecosystem and prevention from pollution, soil erosion, etc.

What is Wildlife Conservation?

Wildlife conservation is the application to preserve wild animals and their habitats to avoid extinction and to promote biodiversity and protection of WL, protection of wild species and their habitat, the practice of protecting plants, animals, and their habitat and protection of species of wildlife from extinction by applying suitable methods.

Threats to wildlife

When human influence was minimal, there were quite a few wild animals, but as agriculture, urbanization, and other human activities have grown, the number of wild animals is steadily declining. Several animal species are no longer extant.

Habitat destruction

Habitat destruction is damage or destruction of natural habitat often due to human activities. It is caused by deforestation, mining, urbanization, and other activities. Destruction creates smaller habitats and smaller habitats cause smaller populations which go to extinct easily.

Deforestation

Deforestation is the process of clearing forests for another purpose. It is a major cause of habitat destruction which is a threat to WL conservation. People cut trees for many purposes such as for making houses, furniture, and for agricultural purposes.

Overexploitation

When a population of animals is used or harvested at a rate that exceeds its ability to produce offspring is called overexploitation. It is a serious problem for WL conservation. One of the key reasons for the decline in biodiversity is overexploitation. Overfishing, also known as overexploitation of fish stocks, occurs when humans take fish more quickly than they can reproduce. With the exponential rise in human population, we have seen a massive increase in the demand for fish, especially for food. Species that endure overfishing are often pushed to extinction.

Pollution

Pollution is a major problem for wildlife conservation it has a serious impact. It causes destruction and damage to the habitat. Air is poisoned by smoke, harmful chemicals, and dust which are harmful for wild animals. Global warming and acid rain is also because of pollution that is harmful for wild animal.

Climate change

Today climate is due to human activities. Climate change is harmful for habitat loss and pollution. When temperature increase it cause melting ice sheets , change in rain pattern and cause drought .The  climate change  had bad effect on environment  and species cannot survive and go to extinct.

Illegal wildlife trade

Illegal trade is illegal trading of wild plants and animals. Illegal trade is also an important cause and factor that cause depletion of wildlife. This may be critical for both animals and humans. It also great effect on natural resources that are used by human in daily life. Illegal trading also effect to economic condition of the country. Illegal trading cause local or global extinction of species.

How to Conserve Wildlife

• Wildlife should be protected in natural as well as in artificial habitat like zoological parks, botanical gardens.
• Deforestation should be stopped and reforestation should be implemented for the protection.
• Protecting endangered species.
• Every human being should feel the importance.
• Developing protective areas such as national park, wildlife sanctuaries to protect.
• Hunting of animals should be banned.

Effect of Wildlife Depletion

• Depletion causes imbalances in the food chain and ecosystem.
• Reduction in rare wild animals.
• It has an effect on biodiversity.
• It causes a loss of economic value.
• Depletion of WL is dangerous to human life.
• It causes a loss in genetic information.
• Administration involvement

It play a vital role in our ecosystem and their extinction can lead to decline in biodiversity. Wild animals can provide economic benefits through tourism and natural resources.

Steps Taken By The Administration to Protect Wildlife   

Administration should have to take steps are following:

• Regulating  hunting and trade
• Regulating human activities near and within wildlife habitat
• Protecting wildlife areas
• Laws should be made ban the killing or capturing of endangered animals and birds
• Made national park and sanctuaries  in order to preserve natural habitat of animals and birds
• National parks are areas may be natural or constructed by government in order to provide habitat to animals and birds. IN national parks hunting of animals are banned by government

Social involvement

In social involvement citizen based group that function independently of government.

Few natives of these nations or members of the communities most impacted are among the individuals fighting to avert species extinction. But those who live close to wilderness regions are best positioned to support animals.

Locals should lead the charge in finding a solution to the problem affecting local animals. Sometimes the individuals who are most affected and impacted must take the lead for change to occur. Local communities are crucial in the battle against poaching and the illicit WL trade, which pose a serious danger to animals and bird populations.

Importance of social involvement

• Tackle conservation problems that are too small or risky for the government
• Drive innovation in conservation
• Transparency, accountability and management are often better than government
• Mobilize funds that would not be given to the government.
• NGOs working in Pakistan to conserve
• The snow leopard trust
• WWF Pakistan
• Himalayan Wl foundation
• Pakistan game fish  association
• Pakistan WL foundation
• Bioresource research center
• International union for the conservation of nature
• WSPA Pakistan
• World conservation society -Pakistan
• Snow leopard conservancy

Author detail:

¹Asma Amjad, ¹Zahida Perveen

¹Department of Environmental Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad

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