Assignment Topic:

Significance, Conservation, Philosophy & Sustainability of Wildlife

Submitted to:

MAM NAYAB

Submitted by:

KASHIF ZAHOOR (BSZ-16-03)

Class:

BS Zoology 6th Semester Morning

Ghazi University D.G. Khan

Conservation of Wildlife

Like forests, wildlife is also a national resource, which not only helps in maintaining the
ecological balance but is also beneficial from economic, recreational and aesthetic points of
view. There was a time when human interference was minimum the number of wild animals was
quite high and there was no problem of their protection or conservation. But, with the expansion
of agriculture, settlement, industrial and other developmental activities and mainly due to greed
of man, the number of wild animals gradually became lesser and lesser. With the result that
several species of animals have become extinct and several, others are on the verge of being so.

REASONS FOR LOSS OF WILDLIFE SPECIES:

1. DEFORESTATION:

Deforestation is also one of the main reasons for the loss of wildlife. Mass killings of wild
animals for their meat, bones, fur, teeth, hair, skin, etc., are going on throughout the world.
Therefore, the need for wildlife conservation has now become a necessity.

2. Effects of Population:

Population growth, expansion of agriculture and livestock raising building of cities and roads,
and pollution are among the many pressures on the natural habitat of wildlife. Along with illegal
hunting, habitat reduction and its degradation has threatened the bio-diversity of the regions
where these are rampant.

Preservation of wildlife does not mean a blanket protection to all faunal and floral species;
rather, it implies a proper, judicious control over the multiplication of plants and animals, which
interact together to provide a proper environment to man whose very existence is in peril today.

Due to the irrational use of natural and biotic resources of the earth in the past, most of the
wildlife has been destroyed beyond retrieval. It is our urgent duty to protect the natural splendor
of ecosystems and to evolve a system of co-existence with every living creature upon the earth.

Although must countries of the world are very particular regarding conservation of wildlife, the
number of wild animals is reducing day by day. World Wild Life Fund is the international
agency, which is doing commendable work in promoting the protection of wildlife. There are
national agencies also engaged in the conservation of wildlife.
Steps Taken for Conservation of Wildlife Species:

 To survey and collect all the information about wildlife, especially, their number and
growth.

 To protect habitat by protecting forests.

 To delimit the areas of their natural habitat.

 To protect wildlife from pollution and from natural hazards.

 To impose complete restriction on hunting and capturing of wildlife.

 To impose restrictions on export and import of wildlife products and severe punishment
to be given to those who indulge in this activity.

 To develop game sanctuaries for specific wild animals or for general world life.

 To make special arrangements to protect those species whose number is very limited.

 To develop general awareness at national and international level regarding protection of

wildlife.

 To adopt a system of wildlife management through trained personnel.

India is a good example where several steps have been taken for wildlife conservation. It is a
country of varied wildlife, where more than 500 types of wild animals, 2,100 types of birds and
about 20,000 types of reptiles and fishes have been found. According to an estimate, in India,
about 200 species of wild animals and birds have already become extinct and another 2,500 are
on the verge of extinction.

Some of them are black buck, chinkara, wolf, swamp deer, nilgai, Indian gazelle, antelope, tiger,
rhinoceros, gir lion, crocodile, flamingo, pelican, bustard, white crane, grey heron, mountain
quail, etc. In India, the government and NGOs are taking keen interest in the protection of
wildlife. The Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 has several provisions for the conservation of
wildlife.
Significance of Wildlife:
Wildlife plays an important role in balancing the environment. Wild life provides a stability to
different natural processes of nature. The importance of wildlife can be categorized as ecological
importance, economic importance, investigatory importance, conservation of biological
diversities etc.

1. Ecological importance

Wildlife helps in maintaining the balance of nature. Killing of carnivores leads to an increase in
the number of herbivores which in turn affect the forest vegetation, thus due to lack of food in
the forest they come out from the forest to agriculture land and destroy our crops. Therefore,
once the equilibrium is disturbed it leads to many problems.

2. Economic importance
The wild life can be used to earn money. Wild plant products like food, medicine, timber, fibres,
etc. are of economic value and the wild animal products such as meat, medicines, hide, ivory,
lac, silk, etc. are of tremendous economic value.

3. Investigatory importance

Some wild organisms are used for scientific experiments such as to test effect of medicine.
Generally monkey, chimpanzee, etc. are used for scientific experiments.

4. Conservation of biological diversities

By conserving wildlife, diversity in the environment can be conserved. According to some

scientists an ecosystem with more diversity is more stable.

5. As a gene bank

Group of genes of a population of any particular area is called as gene bank. To produce disease
resistant variety diversity in gene bank is necessary.

6. Recreation

A visit to the parks and sanctuaries is an enjoyable proposition for children as well as adult.
Thus, wildlife is best means of recreation.

7. Cultural importance

The wildlife of India has rooted effects on religion, art, sculpture and literature. Many
mythological stories and children's stories are based on wildlife.
8. Importance in agriculture

Wild organisms are very important for modern agriculture. Importance of wildlife in agriculture
field are as follows :
1. Production of new hybrid variety using wild plants.
2. Production of better hybrid variety of animals used for agriculture using wild animals.
3. New species of plants and animals can be produced by them.

Sustainability of Wildlife:
A sustainable wildlife enterprise is a farming system that incorporates sustainable use
of wildlife to promote conservation. In Australia, landholders work together across boundaries to
sustainably harvest or make use of (ecotourism) naturally occurring wildlife populations such as
the kangaroo. Important to the concept is that biodiversity and environmental benefit occurs via
alternative land uses. Attaching a value to native resources through commercial development has
the potential to provide alternative sources of income, especially in areas where traditional
systems are no longer as profitable or environmentally sustainable. The Sustainable Wildlife
Enterprise system enables farmers to realize the financial value of native wildlife such as the
kangaroo and encourages them to manage their land that supports the source of the income
without lowering total farm profitability – hence contributing to habitat and biodiversity
conservation.
Until primary production systems can put a value on habitat and conservation areas there will be
more and more species loss. Conventional farming techniques have seen broad-scale
environmental degradation in Australia’s rangelands, particularly during droughts where soil
fertility and low rainfall limit natural production capacity. Where native wildlife and resources
are given a value and managed sustainably, there is a proven benefit for biodiversity and habitat
landholder members. Through improved information and training, quality of kangaroo products
can be ensured through traceback and temperature tracking systems. The highly trained
operatives within the cooperative also guarantee humane treatment of the animals. The
cooperative assess kangaroo populations and develop and implement best-practice quality
standards, which include standards of animal selection, harvesting, field dressing, transport,
chilling and traceback from processors. Landholders benefit by the amount of kangaroo
harvested on their land, and as a proportion of their investment and involvement.
There are a number of ways these cooperatives can be set up and the profits shared. Products
from SWEs often need to have a market edge so landholders and harvesters can both benefit. The
cooperatives need to prove biodiversity and environmental benefit, reduced carbon emissions,
humane treatment of the animals, transparent operations and the highest quality.
Landholders benefit from better management of total grazing pressure and profits from sale of
kangaroo products. Harvesters can benefit by gaining exclusive secure rights to properties and
regular income, reward for implementing higher professional standards and access to training
and development, resources, information, equipment, share in profits produced by ensuring
market edge products. Meat processors can benefit with accurately described high quality
products. For Land care Australia groups and regional catchment natural resource
management bodies.