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Why has Wildlife and Marine Conservation become so Critical?
Wildlife and marine conservation are essential and imperative for maintaining ecological balance, promoting human wellbeing, and ensuring the sustainability of life on Earth.
Biodiversity Preservation
Wildlife and marine ecosystems comprise a vast array of species, each playing a unique role in
maintaining the ecological balance. Conservation interventions help to preserve biodiverse habitats, ensuring that different species continue to exist and thrive.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystems are not only self-sustaining, they also provide essential resources that are crucial
for human well being and the optimum functioning of the planet. Occurrences of natural synergies include cross-pollination, water purification, carbon sequestration and the cycling of nutrients.
Economic Benefits
There are multiple economic benefits to wildlife and marine conservation. Economies prosper greatly from industries such as tourism, fishing, and pharmaceuticals. Healthy ecosystems can support sustainable livelihoods for millions of people worldwide.
Climate Regulation
Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems play a crucial role in regulating the Earth's atmospheric conditions. Forests and a density of trees provide carbon sinks which absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, mitigating the effects of climate change.
Cultural Significance
Besides subsistence farming, many indigenous communities and tribes rely on wildlife and marine resources to maintain their cultural identity, practices and traditions. Our conservation efforts fully respect and protect all socio-cultural expressions.
Food Security
Our conservation efforts and interventions to preserve biodiversity will ensure that different species continue to exist and flourish. We enable collaborations for ecological and human reciprocity, allowing both to thrive.
Mitigating Environmental Threats
Our conservation efforts help address various environmental threats such as habitat loss, pollution, climate change, and the proliferation of invasive species. By protecting these ecosystems, we can mitigate the impacts of these threats on plant, wildlife and human
populations.
Intrinsic Value
Wildlife and marine species have their own inherent value and deserve to exist for their own sake. Conservation efforts will ensure that future generations of humans will continue to experience and appreciate the beauty and diversity of the natural world.
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We feature just a few of the endangered terrestrial species in Sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately, several more wildlife species are targeted by poachers for the purposes of illegal trade, traditional medicine and bushmeat. However, humans have not only decimated terrestrial animals, but aquatic life too. A few of the endangered aquatic species are featured below...
People have not only imposed their destructive behavior on land animals, however on marine life also.
Below shows just a few of the endangered marine species.
DISTURBING STATISTICS
Global statistics show that poaching has reached pandemic proportions. The demand for poached animal body parts and live trafficked wild animals more often than not originates from non-African end-users. It is imperative that we protect what belongs on the Sub-Saharan African continent and that we keep our natural land and ocean populations safe.
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The Ocean is the least explored and most vulnerable ecosystem on Earth. It is also under great threat, with more than 80% of ocean pollution originating from land-based activities. Once considered as being too vast and too remote to harm, the Deep Sea is facing an onslaught of mining, pollution, toxic waste dumping, overfishing and poaching.
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Only 13% of the Ocean remains an unspoiled wilderness. At first glance, the Ocean appears pristine, but it is fast becoming the biggest dumping site on Earth. Whether owing to ignorance or expedience, the health of our Ocean and Marine life is in jeopardy.
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The information below paints a very bleak picture for our planet.
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Alarming Facts About Poaching
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Nearly two rangers are killed per week while protecting wildlife (Global Conservation)
Only six countries collect and keep detailed data on poaching (Poaching Facts)
Illegal wildlife trafficking is an ongoing trade worth $5–$23 billion per annum (World Bank)
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100 million sharks are killed every year throughout the world (Al Jazeera).
In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, thousands of endangered animals are killed by poachers every day.
Rhinos are poached at a rate of one per 12 hour period. Rhino poaching is likely to increase by 356% by 2030.
Data shows there are only 1,000 mountain gorillas and 2,000 zebras left roaming wild in Africa
In Botswana, 35 000 elephants are slaughtered by poachers annually.
On average, poachers kill 96 African elephants every day.
Only 13 countries in the world have populations of wild tigers remaining.
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[https://petpedia.co/poaching-statistics/] Accessed 12 June 2024
