Humans, animals and plants are all important elements of the natural environment. But humans are cruelly destroying plants and animals and thereby creating a danger for all including themselves. Destruction of forests and other habitats is causing extinction of various plants and animals every day. These losses are particularly severe in the areas of tropical forests which although cover only 7% of the surface of the globe, but provide living space for 50% to 80% of all the world's wildlife. Many wild animals and birds such as pandas, bears, tigers, alligators, wolves, eagles, falcons, kites and buzzards are faced with the threat of extinction today.
Many animals die of starvation due to draught, winter and natural calamities. Their decline has been accelerated by the destruction of their feeding and nesting places, by the collection of their eggs, and above all by the widespread use of chemicals and pesticides which enter their food chains leading to sterility and mass deaths. Hunting of birds and animals is another cause of their extinction.
In fact, indiscriminate killing of animals have already put many animal species to extinction or near extinction. Destruction of their natural habitats adds to the misery of animals forced to leave their dens for unsafe living. Displacement is often accompanied by scarcity of food and enhanced danger of being hunted. These displaced animals are exposed to many new dangers posed by man and other predators.
We know that all species are important for maintaining ecological balance. If one is lost, the whole natural environment changes often for worse. In order to protect the environment from being spoilt, we should protect our wildlife. The good news is that many countries are now taking action to protect their endangered species. Conservationists are trying to create awareness among people for wildlife conservation. Scientists are warning of grave consequences and governments are coming up to protect wildlife species.
We definitely support the proposition that government of our country should also enact more strict laws to protect its own wildlife.
Many scientists and researchers have studied wildlife extinction and its effects. Animals and other living species are very important for our ecological balance. Animal species maintain a systematic balance in the wilderness, elimination of a number of species from the system may result in the systems atrophy.
If we understand why people kill wildlife, we will better understand the issues of conservation. First, wildlife killing was a way of life in most primitive societies. Many agrarian and backward societies still view wildlife as sources of food. Secondly, predator animals are viewed as security threat to people and their livestock. Birds, rodents and other creeping animals often damage their harvest. Thirdly, poachers kill elephants and rhinos, take away their tasks. Ivory jewelries and ivory inlaid boxes have a lucrative market in the East, especially China and Japan.
Awareness campaign and laws against killing, selling and trading will help to protect wildlife. For example, conservationist campaigns in the west throughout the 1980's have effectively reduced the use of expensive fashionable fur jackets once popular among women. In the face of international criticism, Japan government has banned whale killing and selling of its meat. Our government should not only enact rules to stop killing of animals, but also ban illegal trading of animals' meat, skin and tasks. The law should be enforced strictly while conservationist organizations can be used as ally.
George Haycock, author of several books on wildlife, writes: Mankind must develop a concern for wild creatures and determination that these wild species will not perish”. We should save the earth's wild creatures to save ourselves. To be kind to animals is to be kind to all.
The writer is librarian, BIFT