The balance of our ecosystem is maintained collectively by humans, wildlife and flora. The ecology in the past was comparatively stable. The natural habitats of wildlife were relatively large and undisturbed. Then, what caused this imbalance of a stable ecology?
Flora and fauna are getting endangered, extinct and vulnerable for various reasons.
1. Extinct species – These are the species whose population has dwindled to zero and no longer exist. For example, the Dodo, Tasmanian Tiger, Great Auk.
2. Endangered species – These are the species that are very likely to become extinct in the near future. For example, Bengal Tiger, Blue Whale, Asiatic lion, the Blackbuck.
3. Vulnerable species – The species that most likely will become endangered. For example, Gangetic dolphin, Blue crane, Mountain zebra.
Species become vulnerable, endangered or extinct for two main reasons.
Firstly, due to the loss of habitat, and secondly, due to the loss of genetic variation.
A loss of habitat can be anthropogenic or naturally occurring. For instance, the dinosaurs lost their habitat naturally about 65 million years ago. But in this day and age, we still have many species that are either vulnerable or endangered, and many have already become extinct. We, humans, are leaving less room for wildlife. We threaten their existence through our activities by spreading invasive species, overfishing, whaling, conducting animal experimentation (sometimes for bio war purposes!), and destroying habitats for urbanization, to name a few.
Furthermore, poaching animals has only added to their woes. While elephants and rhinos are poached for their tusks, alligators, goats, lions, tigers, snakes and deer are killed to produce leather from their skin. When it comes to domesticated animals, it isn't any better. Sheep are exploited for their wool. Pigs, cows, and chicken are raised in terrible conditions in factory farms for their meat. These activities, directly or indirectly, have an impact on the quantity and quality of the animals' lives.
150 species die every day globally, and, on average, 0.1% of species become extinct annually. We have wiped out half the wildlife in the past five decades. Here is a deep dive into a few endangered species:
1. ASIATIC LION - Did you know that there is also a sharp decline in the count of Asiatic Lions? Now, Gir National Park at Gujarat is the only wildlife zone in India where it is found in its natural habitat.
2. BLUE WHALE - Hunting and killing whales is known as whaling. Though whaling became illegal in 1966, thousands of whales have been killed thereafter. Unfortunately, this practice is still at large. The population of Blue Whales has dwindled to 25,000.
3. ROYAL BENGAL TIGER - In some areas, including much of Southeast Asia, tigers are still in crisis and declining in number. At present, only 3,900 tigers remain on the planet earth.
4. BLACKBUCK – The sharp decline in the number of Blackbucks was mainly due to deforestation and loss of habitat. At present, only 25,000 remain in the world.
Moreover, the invasive species compete with the native species for food or prey on them. STABLE ECOLOGICAL BALANCE IS DISTURBED BY PREDATION. Also, in recent times, genetically modified and invasive animals carry diseases, to which the native species have no resistance.
Hence, stringent measures must be taken to conserve wildlife and eventually maintain the balance of the ecosystem:
Captive breeding, where the native species are safeguarded, in their natural habitat, from the human population. Regular inspections must be conducted on these places to keep a check on any unnecessary exploitation of these species.
Reduce animal experimentation and stop the practice of factory farming.
Stringent rules on poaching and illegal animal caging.
Further, we as individuals can adopt animals and take good care of our pets.
Wildlife Protection Act should be made even more rigid, and any acts that put the lives of these innocent souls at stake should be amended to save them.
Without governments updating their policies and the public making choices that actively choose environmentally friendly options, the situation would be grave. Let us spread the word, let us take a stand for the oppressed and those that cannot protest for themselves.
Dr Akhila Mydukuru