A Study on the Need of the Conservation of Wild Animals and Birds

The eco-system is all about relationships between different organisms connected through food webs and food chains. Even if a single wildlife species gets extinct from the eco-system, it may disturb the whole food chain ultimately leading to disastrous results. Consider a simple example of a bee that is vital for growth of certain crops due to their pollen carrying roles. If bees get reduced in numbers, the growth of food crops would definitely lower owing to lack of pollination. Similarly, if a specie gets increased in number, again it can have an adverse effect on the ecological balance. Consider another simple case of carnivores which is getting reduced every day due to human poaching and hunting. The reduction of these carnivores is leading to increase in the number of herbivores who are dependent on forest vegetation for their survival. It would not be long, when the number of herbivores in forests would soar to such a great extent that they would move to agricultural lands and villages for their food needs. Thus, saving wildlife plays a great role in ensuring a check on the ecological balance thereby, maintaining a healthy eco-system. A huge number of plants and animal species are used to benefit humans in one way or the other. Many of the medicines such as aspirin, penicillin, quinine, morphine and vincristine have been derived from uncultivated plants. If we talk about the ancient medicinal system of Ayurveda, it has also been using extracts and juices from various plants and herbs to cure problems like blood pressure, diabetes and many other neurological problems since ages. It‘s not only the plants which are useful, many of the extracts from animal species are rich in nutrients and anti-oxidants. For instance, the oil from lever of Cod fish is rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 anti-oxidants that helps fight ageing, chemicals derived from shrimps and lobsters are used in treating fungal infections, venom of Cobra is used as a cure for leprosy and the list does not end here. Today, various species of animals are also being studied and researched upon to find cures to deadly diseases like cancers, Alzheimer‘s and Parkinson‘s. If wildlife is not preserved today, there would soon be a time when human race would also be in great danger.

Human population largely depends on agricultural crops and plants for its food needs. Are you aware that wildlife plays a significant role in growth of these crops? If not, let‘s understand the concept. The fruits and vegetables that we get from plants are a result of a process called pollination, a reproduction system in plants wherein the pollen grains from male flower is transferred to the female flower, resulting in production of seeds. Now, for the pollination to occur, birds, bees and insects, which are few of the tiniest species on this planet, play an

growth can be significantly affected if the pollen carrying birds and insects are reduced in numbers for whatsoever reason.

Wildlife also plays a significant role in keeping the environment clean and healthy. Many micro-organisms, bacteria, slime moulds, fungi and earthworms feed on plant and animal wastes, decomposing them and releasing their chemicals back into the soil, thus, replenishing it with nutrients which in turn, are taken up by roots of plants enabling them to grow and develop. Well! This is not all. Do you know that the birds like eagles and vultures that are hated by people, also contribute to the nature in great ways? These scavengers help remove the carcasses and dead bodies of animals thereby, keeping the environment clean. Just imagine a life surrounded with layers of dead bodies lying near us un-decayed and unrotten. Scientists and researchers are aggressively working these days to preserve plants and animals through ‗Gene Banks‘. These gene banks are a store house of cells and tissues of scores of wildlife species that play an important role in agriculture and farming. With these cells and tissues, not only the original plant varieties and animal breeds be re-generated in times of wildlife epidemics, climate changes or any such natural calamities resulting in reduction or extinction of these species but, also new varieties and breeds with improved genetic traits be generated thus, increasing a chromosomal diversity within species. Besides cells and tissues, gene banks also store plant seeds, sperms, eggs and embryos of numerous mammal species. Storing reproductive organs, such as ovaries and testes is also getting common with the advancement in science and technology. If we talk about what benefits the cross-bred varieties of plant and animal species can have, there are various. The plant species with improved genetics tend to be high-yielding, more resistant to diseases & pests and also contribute to soil improvement. Cross breeding has also proved to be highly beneficial in dairy cattle with improved genetic species yielding more milk, showcasing better health and fertility. Wildlife also plays an important role in improving the economy of the country. Inviting tourists from all across the globe to witness endemic and rare species through their offerings for game safaris and birding tours; wildlife reserves and forests greatly contribute to inflow of foreign exchange thereby, increasing country‘s GDP. It is not only wildlife safaris or bird watching that contributes to the country‘s economy, many other activities such as tourist‘s travel, local transportation, food, accommodation and sight-seeing – all indirectly contributes a significant amount to the nation‘s economy. With influx of tourists, seasonal job opportunities for localites also increases significantly that again adds as a contributing factor to improved GDP. For many, wildlife is the source of income and provides them with their daily bread and butter. Consider the simple case of fishermen who greatly rely for their income on their daily catches or the farmers who heavily depend on a healthy crop yield for their livelihood. Similarly, many industries such as textile, paper, timber and rubber highly depend for their revenue on wildlife. Consider another common case of hotels and resorts sitting near wildlife parks. These will only earn if the park and its animals remain conserved and protected thereby, attracting tourists staying over in their resorts, which would in turn be contributing to their revenues. There are many other people employed in wildlife based ventures such as the ones supplying fishing gears, snorkelling and scuba-diving equipment, binoculars for bird-watching, porters, guides, drivers, mahouts (the list is endless), who are benefited by wildlife tourism. There is a great market across the world for exotic animal products such as leather bags, belts, fur jackets, ivory crafts and jewellery. People working in these trades also have a significant dependency on wildlife.

Wildlife also has an important role to play in different cultures. Many animal and plant species actually represent the cultural backbone of the community. Certain animals are even associated with particular gods and goddesses, and are often symbolic of a deity‘s power. For instance, cow is revered as mother in Hindus and therefore, holds a significant religious value. Similarly hawks and eagles are considered to be sacred in Native American culture. Because of such species‘ contribution to cultural heritage, special cultural preservation acts under animal protection laws have been formulated in many countries. If these cultural associations with wildlife would not have been formed by our fore-fore ancestors, some of these species that greatly contribute to human well-being on earth, would have got extinct centuries back. Today, almost all the wildlife authorities across different countries are facing illicit acts of poaching and killing of animals by smugglers for animal skins, tusks and horns. What these people don‘t realize is that today, they might be earning big fortunes by indulging in these activities but, 10 or 20 years later there would be no animals left which once used to be their source of incomes. When there are no means soil erosion, warm weather, drying up of lakes and rivers, no rains and hence, no crops and vegetation. This all is a cascading effect which every human needs to realize now. And, it‘s not a one man‘s job to save wildlife; it‘s a joint effort that every single person needs to be part of. The wildlife authorities should come forward with stringent plans of minimizing human interference in the core forest areas and effective wildlife tourism policies should be implemented so that illegal activities can be effectively controlled. Plus, for us as individuals we should start working towards taking small steps from our homes; minimize the use of electronic equipment such as air-conditioners that contribute towards global warming, pool vehicles while commuting so that there is less pollution and less harm to the ozone layer and save water. Even if we start contributing our bits to the environment and nature, it would come back to us for our good in future. Wildlife consists of flora and fauna, i.e. plants, animals and microorganisms which are not domesticated by humans. On the other hand Conservation is preserving and protecting Wild plants, animals and their habitats. Therefore, we can say that the Conservation of Wildlife is necessary to recognize the importance of nature and other wildlife species. Small animals particularly bees, insects, butterflies, and birds play an important role in food production. Conservation of these animals, therefore, aid in pollination. Since they depend on nectar from flowers, they are vital in crop production, inter-cropping, and promoting the continuity of native plant species. By moving from one flower to another in search of nectar, bees carry pollen by sustaining the process of crop growth. Although plants are the major sources of medications, some animals are also vital in the production of medications. For example, the venom from cobra is an important ingredient in making the medications for leprosy while lobsters can be used as antifungals. It is also worth noting conserving wildlife also means conserving their natural habitats including trees and vegetation, which is paramount for medicinal research and the sustainability of the pharmaceutical industries.

Watching animals in their natural habitat is not only fun, but also relaxing. People always go for holidays in areas under conservation such as zoos, game parks, lakes, oceans, forests, and mountains for activities such as camping, fishing, boat riding, and hiking just to mention a few. their time outdoors whether hunting, watching wild animals or taking a walk or a ride in natural habitats are less likely to suffer from stress and stress-related complications. Conserving wildlife means conserving heritage and traditional culture. Some places are known for their flora and fauna in relation to the native practices and ways of livelihood, which means that failing to conserve the environment, will lead to loss of their land and native heritage.

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Washington: World Resource Institute; 2014

Assistant Professor, Govt. College, Karauli