Wildlife Conservation

Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of animals and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Our world has many unique and rare animals, birds and reptiles. However the pressure of growing population in different parts of the world has led to the increasing need of using land for human habitations and agriculture. This has led to the reduced habitat of many wild animals. Human beings have all capacity to think and progress with their own invention. Thus the result of formation of great cities and towns are example of the progress and advancements. But this nature is not only consisting of human life there are other lives which is equally important. May be they do not possess the power of imagination and progress they also play an important part in the ecological balance. Human beings have forgotten about their existence and excess of deforestation and hunting have resulted to the extinct of various wild lives and birds. The recent survey has warned the human society that if this conservation is not taken seriously then there will be no delay of the destruction of the mother earth. The conservation of wildlife in India is considered as essential and compulsory to prevent theses lives to become extinct and to maintain the ecological balance. The Indian subcontinent boasts of serving as the natural habitat of a large and varied wildlife. We can find some of the most magnificent as well as the rarest wildlife species of the world in the country. The beauty and variety we see in the jungles of India is difficult to be expressed in words. However, the past few decades have seen the greed and negligence of human beings working to the detriment of this rich wildlife. Large-scale poaching, habitat destruction and conflict with humans have resulted in a rapid decline in the population of most of the wild animals and birds. Conservation of Indian wildlife was not given the requisite importance for a long time. However, the government as well as the people slowly and gradually understood their responsibility in this context. Today, efforts are being made towards wildlife conservation in India, to preserve this natural wealth. Numerous wildlife conservation projects have been undertaken in India, both at the
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government as well as the individual level, to protect the rich wildlife of the subcontinent.

Introduction to Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative.Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, rain forests, plains, and other areas including the most developed urban sites, all have distinct forms of wildlife. While the term in popular culture usually refers to animals that are untouched by human factors, most scientists agree that wildlife around the world is impacted by human activities. Humans have historically tended to separate civilization from wildlife in a number of ways including the legal, social, and moral sense. This has been a reason for debate throughout recorded history. Religions have often declared certain animals to be sacred, and in modern times concern for the natural environment has provoked activists to protest the exploitation of wildlife for human benefit or entertainment. Literature has also made use of the traditional human separation from wildlife. Anthropologists believe that the Stone Age peoples and hunter-gatherers relied on wildlife, both plant and animal, for their food. In fact, some species may have been hunted to extinction by early human hunters. Today, hunting, fishing, or gathering wildlife is still a significant food source in some parts of the world. In other areas, hunting and non-commercial fishing are mainly seen as a sport or recreation, with the edible meat as mostly a side benefit. Meat sourced from wildlife that is not traditionally regarded as game is known as bush meat. The increasing demand for wildlife as a source of traditional food in East Asia is decimating populations of sharks, primates, pangolins and other animals, which they believe have aphrodisiac properties. In November 2008, almost 900 plucked and "oven-ready" owls and other protected wildlife species were confiscated by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Malaysia, according to TRAFFIC. The animals were believed to be bound for China, to be sold in wild meat restaurants. Most are listed in CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) which prohibits or restricts such trade.
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Malaysia is home to a vast array of amazing wildlife. However, illegal hunting and trade poses a threat to Malaysias natural diversity.

Chris S. Shepherd A November 2008 report from biologist and author Sally Kneidel, PhD, documented numerous wildlife species for sale in informal markets along the Amazon River, including wild-caught marmosets sold for as little as $1.60 (5 Peruvian soles).[2] Many Amazon species, including peccaries, agoutis, turtles, turtle eggs, anacondas, armadillos, etc., are sold primarily as food. Others in these informal markets, such as monkeys and parrots, are destined for the pet trade, often smuggled into the United States. Still other Amazon species are popular ingredients in traditional medicines sold in local markets. The medicinal value of animal parts is based largely on superstition. Many wildlife species have spiritual significance in different cultures around the world, and they and their products may be used as sacred objects in religious rituals. For example, eagles, hawks and their feathers have great cultural and spiritual value to Native Americans as religious objects. Wildlife has long been a common subject for educational television shows. National Geographic specials appeared on CBS beginning in 1965, later moving to ABC and then PBS. In 1963,NBC debuted Wild Kingdom, a popular program featuring zoologist Marlin Perkins as host. The BBC natural history unit in the UK was a similar pioneer, the first wildlife series LOOK presented by Sir Peter Scott, was a studio-based show, with filmed inserts. It was in this series that David Attenborough first made his appearance which led to the series Zoo Quest during which he and cameraman Charles Lagus went to many exotic places looking for elusive wildlifenotably the Komodo dragon in Indonesia and lemurs in Madagascar. Since 1984, the Discovery Channel and its spin off Animal Planet in the USA have dominated the market for shows about wildlife on cable television, while on PBS the NATURE strand made by WNET-13 in New York and NOVA by WGBH in Boston are notable. Wildlife television is now a multi-million dollar industry with specialist documentary film-makers in many countries including UK, USA, New Zealand NHNZ, Australia, Austria, Germany, Japan, and Canada. There are many magazines which cover wildlife

including National Wildlife Magazine, Birds & Blooms, Birding (magazine), and Ranger Rick (for children). Fuelled by media coverage and inclusion of conservation education in early school curriculum, Wildlife tourism & Ecotourism has fast become a popular industry generating substantial income for developing nations with rich wildlife specially , Africa and India. This ever growing and ever becoming more popular form of tourism is providing the much needed incentive for poor nations to conserve their rich wildlife heritage and its habitat. Destruction Exploitation of wild populations has been a characteristic of modern man since our exodus from Africa 130,000 70,000 years ago. The rate of extinctions of entire species of plants and animals across the planet has been so high in the last few hundred years it is widely considered that we are in the sixth great extinction event on this planet; the Holocene Mass Extinction. Destruction of wildlife does not always lead to an extinction of the species in question, however, the dramatic loss of entire species across Earth dominates any review of wildlife destruction as extinction is the level of damage to a wild population from which there is no return. The four most general reasons that lead to destruction of wildlife include overkill, habitat destruction and fragmentation, impact of introduced species and chains of extinction. Overkill Overkill occurs whenever hunting occurs at rates greater than the reproductive capacity of the population is being exploited. The effects of this are often noticed much more dramatically in slow growing populations such as many larger species of fish. Initially when a portion of a wild population is hunted, an increased availability of resources (food, etc.) is experienced increasing growth and reproduction as Density dependent inhibition is lowered. Hunting, fishing and so on, has lowered the competition between members of a population. However, if this hunting continues at rate greater than the rate at which new members of the population can reach breeding age and produce more young, the population will begin to decrease in numbers.
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Populations are confined to islands, whether literal islands or just areas of habitat that are effectively an island for the species concerned have also been observed to be at greater risk of dramatic population declines following unsustainable hunting. Habitat Destruction And Fragmentation Deforestation and increased road-building in the Amazon Rainforest are a significant concern because of increased human encroachment upon wild areas, increased resource extraction and further threats to biodiversity. The habitat of any given species is considered its preferred area or territory. Many processes associated human habitation of an area cause loss of this area and decrease the carrying capacity of the land for that species. In many cases these changes in land use cause a patchy break-up of the wild landscape. Agricultural land frequently displays this type of extremely fragmented, or relictual, habitat. Farms sprawl across the landscape with patches of uncleared woodland or forest dotted in-between occasional paddocks. Examples of habitat destruction include grazing of bush land by farmed animals, changes to natural fire regimes, forest clearing for timber production and wetland draining for city expansion. Impact of introduced species Mice, cats, rabbits, dandelions and poison ivy are all examples of species that have become invasive threats to wild species in various parts of the world [citation needed]. Frequently species that are uncommon in their home range become out-of-control invasions in distant but similar climates. The reasons for this have not always been clear and Charles Darwin felt it was unlikely that exotic species would ever be able to grow abundantly in a place in which they had not evolved. The reality is that the vast majority of species exposed to a new habitat do not reproduce successfully. Occasionally, however, some populations do take hold and after a period of acclimation can increase in numbers significantly, having destructive effects on many elements of the native environment of which they have become part.

Chains of extinction This final group is one of secondary effects. All wild populations of living things have many complex intertwining links with other living things around them. Large herbivorous animals such as the hippopotamus have populations of insectivorous birds that feed off the many parasitic insects that grow on the hippo. Should the hippo die out, so too will these groups of birds, leading to further destruction as other species dependent on the birds are affected. Also referred to as a Domino effect, this series of chain reactions is by far the most destructive process that can occur in any ecological community. Another example is the black drongos and the cattle egrets found in India. These birds feed on insects on the back of cattle, which helps to keep them disease-free. If we destroy the nesting habitats of these birds, it will result a decrease in the cattle population because of the spread of insect-borne diseases.

Importance of wildlife conservation

Animals as well as plants play a significant role in human life. They have vital medicinal, ecological, agricultural, commercial and recreational importance. For instance, those suffering from heart ailments will die within 72 hours of a heart attack if not provided with digitalis, a drug obtained from the purple bluefox. Also the right balance between humans, plants and animals lead to a healthy ecosystem. Wildlife in India significantly contributes to the growth of regional economies. Hence, the importance of conserving endangered species is immense. Due to the growing impact of deforestation, continuous efforts are being made by some anxious animal lovers to protect the endangered species of wildlife as well as those that are on the verge of extinction and thus save the world from running out its green heritage. Wildlife is important for four main reasons: Beauty: By their unique way of existence, wild creatures exaggerate the natural beauty of the earth. Economic value: The financial value of wild species is important to the economies of several nations, as it provides many valuable substances like wood and other plant products, fibers, meat and other foods, and skins and furs.

 Scientific value: By studying wildlife, scientists have gained valuable knowledge about various life processes and discovered important medical products Survival value: Wildlife helps in maintaining the balanced living systems of earth, which consequently ensures survival of life.

Causes of Endangerment
The gradual emergence of the human beings as the most dominant species among all other species of animals and the attempt of the human beings to set themselves apart from other species is the main underlying cause of the contemporary environmental disaster. The main reason behind a threat to the wildlife and the ecosystem is the constantly growing deforestation, poaching and negligence towards animals and nature. The Indian Government has started nature projects like, Project Tiger, Nature Camps, Jungle Lodges, etc. to encourage wildlife awareness among the common people. Besides preserving the natural heritage, these projects also promote eco-tourism. The primary cause of endangerment is the destruction of natural habitat. With continuing ecological changes, habitats also undergo regular alterations. The release of greenhouse gases brings about changes in the global climate and has resulted in the loss of microbes in the soil which in turn has made the tropical forests subject to destruction and the extinction of many wildlife and aquatic animals. A survey says that India has lost 26,000 square kilometers of dense forest and 7,000 square kilometers of scrub due to shifting cultivation, encroachment and felling. Human activity has heavily affected the individual species and habitats. The unwanted interaction between native animals and interlopers, primarily initiated by humans, result in harmful consequences. Overexploitation of animals by humans is another important cause of endangerment. Unlimited whaling resulted in the extinction of a number of species of whales. However, the universal cause of endangerment will remain till humans make an effort to protect the natural environments where the animals dwell.
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Endangered Wildlife in India Asiatic Lion Indian Elephant Royal Bengal Tiger Great Indian Rhinoceros Birds of India

Threats to wildlife
Carrying capacity: The carrying capacity of the wildlife parks has considerably increased. Eco- and adventure tourism have reached an all-time high in popularity. Attendance rates at some of the best-known national parks have soared in recent years, bringing with them increased vehicle pollution, wildlife road fatalities, and damage to precious habitat. People have started moving towards these national parks as the ultimate tourist destinations. Besides this, the wildlife in these nature parks is blooming. Wildfires: Seemingly innocent campfires have been started by visitors in various national parks which can blaze out of control and grow into menacing, habitat-devouring wildfires in no time at all. This summer alone, wildfires in the western United States ravaged hundreds of thousands of acres of pristine forestland. Hence, wildfires can turn out to be fatal and can damage the natural habitats too! Personal Watercraft: Very often referred to as jet skis or wave runners, personal watercraft (PWCs) routinely harass wildlife in coastal habitats. Because they are compact and quick, PWCs can stratagem into tight situations of brush and shallow water, discharging nesting birds from their roosts and disturbing mating patterns. In addition, the amount of pollution they release is staggering. According to a recent Environmental Protection Agency study, nearly one-third of PWC's fuel and oil can be leaked directly into the water and air. Snowmobiles: Like personal watercraft, snowmobiles also cause intense air, water, and noise pollution; disrupt area wildlife; and greatly reduce the serene satisfaction enjoyed by other visitors to our national parks. Every
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year, more than 180,000 snowmobiles visit our parks. And while we may not be able to measure the precise impact of snowmobile use on these lands, it should be taken into account that fresh air must be pumped into their booths because of extremely high levels of air pollution from snowmobiles. We also know that snowmobiles release harmful toxins into water supplies, burden snowpack with pollutants, and permanently damage the flora. Climate change: Those fossil fuels that keep our homes toasty warm and our automobiles chugging down the highway are also indirectly affecting global climate change. The burning of these fossil fuels-coal and oil, for example-results in an accelerated rate of global warming, a trend that scientists say will decimate an ecological catastrophe on temperatures, storm systems, and precipitation, which in turn will gravely affect habitat and migration patterns. Because many types of plants and animals have specific habitat requirements, climate change could cause disastrous loss of wildlife species. A slight drop or rise in average rainfall will translate into large seasonal changes. Hibernating mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects are harmed and disturbed. Plants and wildlife are sensitive to moisture change so, they will be harmed by any change in the moisture level. Habitat Loss: Fewer natural wildlife habitat areas are left each year. Moreover, the habitat that remains has often been degraded to bear little resemblance to the natural wild areas which existed in the past.

Pesticides & Toxic Chemicals: Pesticides are deliberately spread to make the environment toxic to certain plants, insects, and rodents, so it shouldn't be surprising that other plants and wildlife are deliberately harmed at the same time. In addition many chemical pollutants are toxic to wildlife, such as PCBs, mercury, petroleum by-products, solvents, antifreeze, etc. Releasing of chemicals and other toxic effluents into the water bodies has led to poisoning of the water. The animals and birds drinking such water face a fatal threat. Even the population of fish, living in such water bodies, is declining at a fast pace.

 Hunting and Poaching: Indiscriminate hunting and poaching causes a major threat to wildlife. Even after the establishment of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, the threat of poaching has not been totally eliminated. Along with this, mismanagement of forest department and forest guards triggers this problem.

Endangered species

The Siberian Tiger is a subspecies of tiger that is critically endangered; three subspecies of tigerare already extinct

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The most endangered asiatic top predator, thedhole is on the edge of extinction The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has calculated the percentage of endangered species as 40 percent of all organisms based on the sample of species that have been evaluated through 2006.[2] Many nations have laws offering protection to conservation reliant species: for example, forbidding hunting, restricting land development or creating preserves. Only a few of the many species at risk of extinction actually make it to the lists and obtain legal protection like Pandas. Many more species become extinct, or potentially will become extinct, without gaining public notice.[citation needed] IUCN Red List Endangered species

Philippine Eagle, pictured in Davao City

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species uses the term endangered species as a specific category of imperilment, rather than as a general term. Under the IUCN Categories and Criteria, endangered species is between critically endangered and vulnerable. Also critically endangered species may also be counted asendangered species and fill all the criteria The more general term used by the IUCN for species at risk of extinction is threatened species, which also includes the less-at-risk category of vulnerable species together with endangered and critically endangered. IUCN categories include:

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Extinct: Examples: Javan Tiger, Thylacine, Dodo, Passenger Pigeon, Caribbean Monk Seal, Steller's Sea Cow, Aurochs, Elephant Bird, Woolly Mammoth, Dusky Seaside Sparrow Extinct in the wild: captive individuals survive, but there is no free-living, natural population. Examples: Hawaiian Crow, Wyoming Toad, Socorro Dove, Red-tailed Black Shark, Scimitar Oryx, Catarina Pupfish Critically endangered: faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future. Examples: Mountain Gorilla, Bactrian Camel, Ethiopian Wolf, Saiga, Kakapo, Arakan Forest Turtle, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Javan Rhino, Brazilian Merganser, Axolotl,Leatherback Sea Turtle, Gharial, Vaquita, Philippine Eagle, Brown Spider Monkey, California Condor, Island Fox, Black Rhinoceros Endangered: faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future. Examples: Dhole, Blue Whale, Chimpanzee, Asian Elephant,Giant Panda, Snow Leopard, African Wild Dog, Green Sea Turtle, Malayan Tapir, Tiger, Steller's Sea Lion, Philippine Eagle,Markhor, Bornean Orangutan, Grevy's Zebra, Tasmanian Devil Vulnerable: faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term. Examples: African Elephant, Cheetah, Gaur, Lion, Sloth Bear,Dugong, Polar Bear, Indian Rhinoceros, Komodo Dragon, Great White Shark, Hippopotamus, Mandrill Near threatened: may be considered threatened in the near future. Examples: Blue-billed Duck, Solitary Eagle, American Bison,Jaguar, Maned Wolf, Tiger Shark, White Rhinoceros, Okapi, African Grey Parrot, Striped Hyena Least concern: no immediate threat to the survival of the species. Examples: Common Wood Pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Giraffe,Common Bottlenose Dolphin, California Sea Lion, Brown Bear, Grey Wolf, House Mouse, Scarlet Macaw, Platypus, Human, Bald Eagle, Brown Rat, Cane Toad, Humpback Whale, Emperor Penguin, American Crow, Wolverine [3], Mute Swan, Mallard, Red-tailed Hawk, Indian Peafowl
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Impact on biodiversity and endangered species Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Greater biodiversity implies greater health. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate.In order to conserve the biodiversity of the planet, one must take into consideration the reasons why so many species are becoming endangered. Habitat loss is the most widespread cause of species endangerment in the U.S., affecting 85% of imperiled species. When an animals ecosystem is not maintained, they lose their home and are either forced to adapt to new surroundings or perish. Pollution is another factor that causes many species to become endangered. Also, over-exploitation,disease , and climate change have led to the endangerment of several species. Humans have an impact on the species and their environment. As human use of resources, energy, and space intensified over the past few centuries, the diversity of life has been substantially diminished in most parts of the world. Humans also set standards for which species they think should be saved and which species they find unimportant or undesirable. For example, the coqui frog, an invasive species in Hawaii, is so common there that its nocturnal singing reduces the value of homes and prevents hotels from using rooms near forests. Hawaiians have proposed eliminating the frog, and several wildlife managers want to release a pathogen to kill the frogs. The frog has decreased the value of homes and caused a loss of business for several hotels, so the Hawaiians decided it was acceptable to get rid of the group of coqui frog living near them. Another example where the human impact affected the welfare of a species sex in the instance of non-native mute swans establishing themselves at Arrowhead Lake in Vermont. When the population of swans grew to eight birds, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department decided to take action. Two swans were eventually killed, angering animal welfare organizations and people living near the lake. Yet another example of the human impact in the lives of endangered species is that of the Prebles meadow jumping mouse. Research has shown that the mouse is not
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taxonomically different from the Bear Lodge meadow jumping mouse and the US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed removing the Prebles mouse from the endangered species list based on this information. Species maintaining importance Diversity of life and living systems are a necessary condition for human development. Many question the importance of maintaining biodiversity in todays world, where conservation efforts prove costly and time consuming. Species should be saved for aesthetic and moral justifications; the importance of wild species as providers of products and services essential to human welfare; the value of particular species as indicators of environmental health or as keystone species crucial to the functioning of ecosystems; and the scientific breakthroughs that have come from the study of wild organisms. In other words, species serve as a source of art and entertainment, provide products such as medicine for human well-being, indicate the welfare of the overall environment and ecosystem, and provided research that resulted in scientific discoveries. An example of an aesthetic justification in conserving endangered species is that of the introduction of the gray wolf into Yellowstone National Park. The gray wolf has brought numerous amounts of tourists to the park and added to the biodiversity in the protected region. Another example, supporting the conservation of endangered species as providers of products for human well-being, is the scrub mint. It has been found that the scrub mint contains an anti-fungal agent and a natural insecticide. Also, the deterioration of the bald eagle and the peregrine falcon alerted people to the potential health hazards associated with the widespread spraying of DDT and other persistent pesticides. This serves as an example of how certain fish can serve as identifiers of environmental health and protect human life as well as other species. Finally, an example of species providing for scientific discoveries is the instance of the Pacific yew which became the source of taxol, one of the most potent anticancer compounds ever discovered. Endangered species could prove useful to human development, maintenance of biodiversity and preservation of ecosystems. Another approach is known as ecosystem conservation, where a focus is placed less on preserving any individual given species than on preserving the proper functioning of the ecosystem as a whole.
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Helping preserve endangered species It is the goal of conservationists to create and expand upon ways to preserve endangered species and maintain biodiversity. There are several ways in which one can aid in preserving the worlds species who are nearing extinction. One such way is obtaining more information on different groups of species, especially invertebrates, fungi, and marine organisms, where sufficient data is lacking. For example, to understand the causes of population declines and extinction an experiment was conducted on the butterfly population in Finland. In this analysis, the butterflies endangered list classification, distribution, density, larval specificity, dispersal ability, adult habitat breadth, flight period and body size were all recorded and examined to determine the threatened state of each species. It was found that the butterflies distribution has declined by fifty-one and a half percent, and they have a severely restricted habitat. One example of specific butterflies who have a declining distribution rate are the Friggas Fritillary and Grizzled Skipper, who have been affected by habitat loss due to extensive draining of the bogs where they live. This experiment shows that when we know the causes of endangerment, we can successfully create solutions for the management of biodiversity. Another way to help preserve endangered species is to create a new professional society dedicated to ecological ethics. This could help ecologists make ethical decisions in their research and management of biodiversity. Also, creating more awareness on environmental ethics can help encourage species preservation. Courses in ethics for students, and training programs for ecologists and biodiversity managers all could create environmental awareness and prevent violations of ethics in research and management. One final way in which one can conserve endangered species is through federal agency investments and protection enacted by the federal government. Ecologists have proposed biological corridors, biosphere reserves, ecosystem management, and ecoregional planning as approaches to integrate biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic development at increasingly larger spatial scales. One example of a federal mandated conservation zone is the Northwest Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument, the largest marine protected area in the world. The monument is essential to the preservation of underwater communities and overfished regions. Only researchers working in the area are permitted to fish, no corals may be removed, and the Department of Homeland Security will enforce
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restrictions on vessels passing through the waters via satellite imaging. The monument will serve as a home to an estimated seven thousand species, most of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world . This environmental monument demonstrates the fact that it is possible to create a safe environment for endangered species, as well as maintaining some of the worlds largest ecosystems. Captive breeding programs Captive breeding is the process of breeding rare or endangered species in human controlled environments with restricted settings, such as wildlife preserves, zoos and other conservation facilities. Captive breeding is meant to save species from going extinct. It is supposed to stabilize the population of the species so it is no longer at risk for disappearing. This technique has been used with success for many species for some time, with probably the oldest known such instances of captive mating being attributed to menageries of European and Asian rulers, a case in point being the Pere David's Deer. However, captive breeding techniques are usually difficult to implement for highly mobile species like some migratory birds (e.g. cranes) and fishes (e.g. Hilsa). Additionally, if the captive breeding population is too small, inbreeding may occur due to a reduced gene pool; this may lead to the population lacking immunity to diseases. Legal private farming for profit Whereas poaching causes substantial reductions in endangered animal populations, legal private farming for profit has the opposite effect. Legal private farming has caused substantial increases in the populations of both the southern black rhinoceros and the southernwhite rhinoceros. Dr Richard Emslie, a scientific officer at the IUCN, said of such programs, "Effective law enforcement has become much easier now that the animals are largely privately owned... We have been able to bring local communities into the conservation programmes. There are increasingly strong economic incentives attached to looking after rhinos rather than simply poaching: from eco-tourism or selling them on for a profit. So many owners are keeping them secure. The private sector has been key to helping our work." Conservation experts view the effect of China's turtle farming on the wild turtle populations of China and South-Eastern Asia - many of which are endangered - as "poorly understood". While they commend the gradual replacement of wild-caught
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turtles with farm-raised ones gradually in the marketplace ( the percentage of farmraised individuals in the "visible" trade growing from around 30% in 2000 to around 70% ca. 2007),they are concerned with the fact that a lot of wild animals are caught to provide farmers with the breeding stock. As the conservation expert Peter Paul van Dijk noted, turtle farmers often believe in the superiority of wild-caught animals as the breeding stock, which may create an incentive for turtle hunters to seek and catch the very last remaining wild specimens of some endangered turtle species. In 2009, researchers in Australia managed for the first time to coax southern bluefin tuna to breed in landlocked tanks, opening up the possibility of using fish farming as a way to save the species from the problems of overfishing in the wild.

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Wildlife Conservation in India

Importance
Earth is the only planet which bears life. This planet is the home planet for every living object. Humans have progressed in every field of advancement that they achieved. In that matter the wildlife has been left out and these innocent lives are hampered. The wild lives should be given the full scope to remain in their own world. The deforestation and the hunting of the animals should be stopped immediately. In India hunting of the animal in any case, deforestation is a criminal offence and the person or the organization involved in the actions are severely punished. India has several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks most of which were established in an attempt to conserve the endangered animals. In the wildlife reserves, the threatened animals of India are protected from animals, natural hazards and other causes of endangerment.

Project Elephant There are various national parks and sanctuaries that work on the welfare of Indian elephants and other wild lives. Theses sanctuaries are mainly developed to look after the elephants and allow them to growing their natural habitat. The authority looks after the health and the proper diet and growth of the animals. The project elephant is an important project in the conservation of the wild animals and forests. Project Tiger Project tiger is an essential project. India has number of tiger reserve forests that helps the tiger to regenerate and grow in their own habitat. The tiger sanctuaries not only care of the tigers but other animals like deer, languors, birds, bison and many others. Conservation Centers in India There are various conservation centers in India that take care of the forests and the forest lives. The centers treat the animals scientifically yet not removing them from the natural home.

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NGOs working on Conservation in India Various governmental and non-governmental organizations work for the welfare of the animals and the forests. The NGOs working on Conservation in India have various projects to main the ecology and to keep the world more friendly for every living being in this world.

Project Tiger

Introduction The Project Tiger, launched in 1973-74 has been one of the most flourishing conservation ventures of recent times. Started by the Government of India under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Mrs.Indira Gandhi, this project aims to preserve a feasible tiger population in the natural environment. Aims of Project Tiger The tiger population was alarmingly decreasing, with a constant decline in the extent of wilderness in the country. So, Project Tiger aimed to create large natural habitats for tigers and other wild animals by making special Tiger Reserves throughout the country on a core-buffer strategy. The core areas were freed from all disturbances and human activities for the tigers while the buffer areas were put to conservation oriented land use such as wildlife safaris for the visitors. There were 8 national parks initially that were declared an integral part of the Tiger Project. In recent times there are many national parks in India that are graded as Project Tiger Reserve. Project Tiger started with the national park at Uttaranchal, the Corbett National park in the year 1973.
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First stages of Project Tiger Project tiger started as a central sector scheme till it acquired the status of a centrally sponsored scheme and even got a lot of aid from the W.W.F. During the first stages, Project Tiger aimed to concentrate on issues such as maintaining the ecological balance of the forest, prevention of poaching, destruction of natural habitats and other such matters. For this purpose, entire villages were relocated to prevent clash of interest of the humans and the animals. The Tiger Reserves in India There were initially 9 main tiger reserves in India established in different states with the resources from the central and the state governments. These are at

Ranthambhore (Rajasthan) Progress in Project Tiger Project Tiger achieved in recovering the habitat and increasing the population of the tigers in the reserve areas, thus helping in conservation of tigers in India. Under Project Tiger not only tigers were preserved, but also other wild animals in the reserve areas that helped to maintain the ecological balance. Wireless communication outstation patrol camps, developed within the reserves have helped to prevent poaching to a large extent. Fire protection relocation of villages, control of live stock grazing, improving water regime etc under Project Tiger have all helped to save the eco typical areas from destruction. The Project Tiger has had a turbulent history since it started. But still, there has been a lot of impressive work done for the preservation of tigers. Project Tiger still has to go through a continuous struggle to save wild animals from the poachers and the vagaries of human beings. A lot of credit goes to late Mrs.Indira Gandhi, whose conservation mindedness ultimately helped to protect the national emblem of India.
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Project Elephant

Introduction The Project Elephant, PE in short was launched in February 1992. It is a central sponsored scheme that intended to provide all kinds of support to the elephant bearing states in India, be it financial or technical for protection of elephants and their habitats. Elephants, the gentle giants of the forests are much loved in India and this project was launched when their numbers started decreasing at an alarming rate. The Project Elephant in India also aimed to decrease the humanelephant battles and help in the welfare of domesticated elephants in India. Aims of Project Elephant The various aims of Project Elephant are as follows: Ecologically restoring the natural habitats and migratory routes of the elephants Resolution of the increasing conflicts between man and elephants in important habitats and moderating the pressures of human and domestic stock activities in important elephant habitats. Developing scientific and planned management measures for conservation of elephants and controlling the population of wild Asiatic elephants, which are almost on the verge of extinction. Protecting the elephants from poachers and other unnatural causes of death and preventing illegal ivory trade is also one of the major concerns of the Elephant Project in India Researching on issues related to elephants and creating public awareness and
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education programs for it. Eco-development and Veterinary care for the elephants. Project Elephant also aims at maintaining health care and breeding of tame elephants. The elephant Reserves in India The elephant reserves in India under project Elephant are Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary [Bihar] Kameng-Sonitpur [Arunachal & Assam] Kaziranga-Karbelong-Intanki [Assam & Nagaland] Barail Saifung [Assam & Meghalaya] Nilambur - Silent Valley [Kerala & Tamilnadu] Anamalai Parambikulam Periyar-Madurai [Tamil Nadu] Rajaji-Corbett[UttarPradesh] Progress in Project Elephant Though project elephant was launched with much enthusiasm years ago, but it has still not led to as much increase in the number of elephants as it was expected. Wildlife conservationists state that the progress has been real slow and people in charge of the project are themselves not very clear of the causes of decline in the number of elephants. Project Elephant tries to ensure a free movement for the elephants and thus conserve large areas for them that are called elephant reserve range. But there is an optimistic group of conservationists are still hopeful for improvements and better days of these gentle beasts under Project Elephant, India.

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Conservation centers in India

Introduction The wild animals, one of the most important members of the natural world adorns our planet with their unique ways of existence. Reasons such as poaching, hunting, deforestation etc are creating serious damages to the world of the animals and it is our turn to save our mother earth by taking up measures to protect the quality and continuity of life in the forests through conservation. Serious steps are taken, by building Conservation centers in India by those concerned to protect the endangered animals and help those on the verge of extinction There are thus a number of conservation centers in India such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, projects and programs undertaken to help conservation of wildlife and their habitat. Conservation centers in India There are a number of conservation centers that have developed in India, to maintain the bio diversity in nature and in turn look after the interest of the wild life. These are Green Foundation Conservation Centre- spread across 3 acres of dry land at Thally in Tamil Nadu- Karnataka border, this conservation centre in India has been working towards conservation of agricultural bio diversity closely with the farmers. The Wildlife Conservation Society, India- It focuses on saving the endangered mega fauna in the protected reserves, in an effort to save the bio diversity. Snake Park-Chennai- This snake park preserves more than 40 varieties of snakes and other animals such as crocodiles, tortoises, chameleons, monitor lizards in their natural habitats. It is an important Indian Conservation centre for the protection of Crocodiles.

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Crocodile Bank- 42 kms from Chennai, the crocodile bank at Mamallapuramos another conservation centre in India, for the conservation of the breeding of crocodiles and alligators. The Wildlife Protection Society of India- Founded in 1994 by Belinda Wright, the award winning wildlife photographer , the WPSI aims to bring tackle the growing wildlife crisis in India. They do so by providing information and support to those fighting against poaching and illegal wildlife trade. The Asian nature Conservation Foundation- or the ANCF is another conservation centre in India, based in Bangalore, dedicated to help prevent the declining natural landscape and biological diversity in India as well as other tropical Asian Countries. 'Operation Kachhapa Conservation Centre-This is a centre for conservation of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles in Orissa , in the Eastern Coast of India. Apart from these specific conservation centers in India, Conservation of wildlife is carried out in many natural parks, sanctuaries and reserves all throughout India. Some of the well known names are Bandhavgarh National Park Corbett National Park Kanha National Park Gir National Park & Sanctuary, Gujarat Kaziranga National Park Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary Sundarbans National Park Velvadhar Blackbuck Sanctuary, Gujarat

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NGOs Working on Conservation in India

Introduction The growing depletion of the greener pastures of our planet, leading to destruction of the natural habitats of the wildlife has been an emergent cause of concern for the conservationists. Apart from these reasons, reasons such as poaching, deforestation, illegal wildlife trade, destruction of forest areas for human purposes have all added to the reasons for which conservation of wildlife and their habitats has become one of the fastest and the most important issues to deal with for the NGOs working on conservation in India. These Non Governmental Organizations have come up with the purpose to maintain the bio diversity in nature and help in conservation of wildlife. NGOs working on Conservation in India Wildlife First- This NGO in India was the one to co ordinate the Karnataka Tiger Conservation Project (KTCP). Kuduremukh Wildlife Foundation- this NGO for conservation of the Kudremukh National Park works through conservation, monitoring, education for conservation and community interfacing. Bhadra Wildlife Conservation Trust- This local conservation NGO works on protecting the Bhadra Tiger Reserve. Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF)- This non profit organization works for conservation of wildlife and natural eco systems. Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)- works towards advancing environmental protection and conservation of biodiversity. Conservation of Wildlife and Heritage of Kodagu (CWK) Tiger Research and Conservation Trust (TRACT) plans build a long-term rigorous field conservation program in prime wildlife habitats in Maharashtra. Some other important names of the NGOs working on Conservation in India are Wildlife Society of Orissa (Orissa)
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Rhino Foundation for Nature (Assam) Friends of Forests (Maharashtra) North Eastern Society for Preservation of Nature and Wildlife (West Bengal) Nature's Beckon (Assam) Nature Conservation Society Amravati (Maharashtra) The Friends of the Doon (Uttaranchal) Bali Nature and Wild Life Conservation Society (West Bengal) Some of the important projects and programs on Wildlife Conservation in India are:

Eco Tourism in India Project Tiger Crocodile Conservation

Gir National Park in Gujarat is the only existent habitation for the nearly extinct Asiatic Lions in India. The Kaziranga Sanctuary in Assam is a major example of good effort to save the endangered Rhinoceros. Similarly, Periyar in Kerala is doing a great job to preserve the wild Elephants and Dachigam National Park is progressing rapidly to save Kashmiri Stag. Wildlife Conservation in India occupies a total area of about 3.29 million sq. km. that contains floral and faunal species, mammals, reptiles, insects and birds. The Wildlife Conservation in India has become the most popular holiday destinations because of its diverseness. In India there are 571 sanctuaries and reserve parks that are protected by the Indian Government, mainly meant for the protection of the extinct species of animals and birds. Predators, Carnivores and Herbivores, - all are equally important to maintain the vital ecological processes as nutrient and water cycling. Nature has always helped in flourishing the mankind. But this isn't about what nature gives to you, its what you, as a human being give back in return. Are you concerned about nature? Does saving the endangered species and taking necessary actions for those who are on the brink of extinction means something to you? Then join hands with the wildlife organizations to save mother Earth!The natural projects and programmes started by the Indian government such as Project Tiger, Nature Camps and Jungle Lodges have been
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organised to promote wildlife awareness among the people. These projects not only help in preserving our natural heritage but also encourage eco-tourism.

Why wildlife conservation is so important? Because the most beautiful gift that God has given to nature are the wild creatures, they embellish the natural beauty by their unique way of existence. But due the growing impact of deforestation, few concerned animal lovers are making continuous efforts to save the endangered species as well as those who are on the verge of extinction and save the world from loosing its green heritage.

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) The current WCS program in India was started in 1986, as a single tiger research project at Nagarhole National Park. From a single project, WCS has developed into a comprehensive portfolio of activities related to wildlife. The activities undertaken under the adage of WCS include scientific research, national capacity building, policy interventions, site-based conservation and developing new models of wildlife conservation.

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Wildlife management

Various species of deer are commonly seen wildlife across the Americas and Eurasia. Wildlife management by definition attempts to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people using the best available science. Wildlife management can include game keeping, wildlife conservation and pest control. Wildlife management has become an integrated science using disciplines such asmathematics, chemistry, biology, ecology, climatology and geography to gain the best results. Wildlife conservation aims to halt the loss in the earths biodiversity by taking into consideration ecological principles such as carrying capacity, disturbance and succession and environmental conditions such as physical geography, pedology and hydrology with the aim of balancing the needs of wildlife with the needs of people. Most wildlife biologists are concerned with the preservation and improvement of habitats although reinstatement is increasingly being used. Techniques can include reforestation, pest control, nitrification and denitrification, irrigation, coppicing and hedge laying. Game keeping is the management or control of wildlife for the wellbeing of game birds may include killing other animals which share the same niche or predators to maintain a high population of the more profitable species, such as pheasants introduced into woodland. In his 1933 book Game Management, Aldo Leopold, one of the pioneers of wildlife management as a science, defined it as "the art of making land produce sustained annual crops of wild game for recreational use".
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Pest control is the control of real or perceived pests and can be for the benefit of wildlife, farmers, game keepers or safety reasons. In the United States, wildlife management practices are often implemented by a governmental agency to uphold a law, such as the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Many wildlife managers are employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and by state governments. In the United Kingdom, wildlife management undertaken by several organizations including government bodies such as the Forestry Commission, Charities such as the RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts and privately hired gamekeepers and contractors. Legislation has also been passed to protect wildlife such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The UK government also give farmers subsidies through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme to improve the conservation value of their farms. History Although wildlife management in the U.S. did not emerge as a profession until the 1930's, there were some early attempts at management. The earliest game law dates back to 1639, when Rhode Island closed the hunting season for whitetailed deer from May to November. Other regulations during this time focused primarily on restricting hunting. At this time, lawmakers did not consider population sizes or the need for preservation or restoration of wildlife habitats. The profession of wildlife management was established in the United States in the interwar period (1920s-1930s) by Aldo Leopold and others who sought to transcend the purely restrictive policies of the previous generation of conservationists, such as anti-hunting activist William T. Hornaday. Leopold and his close associate Herbert Stoddard, who had both been trained in scientific forestry, argued that modern science and technology could be used to restore and improve wildlife habitat and thus produce abundant "crops" of ducks, deer, and other valued wild animals. The institutional foundations of the profession of wildlife management were established in the 1930s, when Leopold was granted the first university professorship in wildlife management (1933, University of Wisconsin, Madison), when Leopold's textbook 'Game Management' was published (1933), when The Wildlife Society was founded, when the Journal of Wildlife
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Management began publishing, and when the first Cooperative Wildlife Research Units were established. Conservationists planned many projects throughout the 1940s. Some of which included the harvesting of female mammals such as deer to decrease rising populations. Others included waterfowl and wetland research. The Fish and Wildlife Management Act was put in place to urge farmers to plant food for wildlife and to provide cover for them. In 1937, the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (also known as the Pittman-Robertson Act) was passed in the U.S. This law was an important advancement in the field of wildlife management. It placed a 10% tax on sales of guns and ammunition. The funds generated were then distributed to the states for use in wildlife management activities and research. This law is still in effect today. Wildlife management grew after World War II with the help of the GI Bill and a postwar boom in recreational hunting. An important step in wildlife management in the United States national parks occurred after several years of public controversy regarding the forced reduction of the elk population in Yellowstone National Park. In 1963, United States Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall appointed an advisory board to collect scientific data to inform future wildlife management. In a paper known as the Leopold Report, the committee observed that culling programs at other national parks had been ineffective, and recommended active management of Yellowstone's elk population. Since the tumultuous 1970s, when animal rights activists and environmentalists began to challenge some aspects of wildlife management, the profession has been overshadowed by the rise of conservation biology. Although wildlife managers remain central to the implementation of the Endangered Species Act and other wildlife conservation policies, conservation biologists have shifted the focus of conservation away from wildlife management's concern with the protection and restoration of single species and toward the maintenance of ecosystems and biodiversity. Types of wildlife management There are two general types of wildlife management:
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Manipulative management acts on a population, either changing its numbers by direct means or influencing numbers by the indirect means of altering food supply, habitat, density of predators, or prevalence of disease. This is appropriate when a population is to be harvested, or when it slides to an unacceptably low density or increases to an unacceptably high level. Such densities are inevitably the subjective view of the land owner, and may be disputed by animal welfare interests. Custodial management is preventive or protective. The aim is to minimize external influences on the population and its habitat. It is appropriate in a national park where one of the stated goals is to protect ecological processes. It is also appropriate for conservation of a threatened species where the threat is of external origin rather than being intrinsic to the system. Opposition

The control of wildlife through culling and hunting has been criticized by animal rights and animal welfare activists. Critics object to the real or perceived cruelty involved in some forms of wildlife management. Environmentalists have also opposed hunting where they believe it is unnecessary or will negatively affect biodiversity.Critics of game keeping note that habitat manipulation and predator control are often used to maintain artificially inflated populations of valuable game animals (including introduced exotics) without regard to the ecological integrity of the habitat. Game keepers in the UK claim it to be necessary for wildlife conservation as the amount of countryside they look after exceeds by a factor of nine the amount in nature reserves and national parks. Management of hunting seasons Wildlife management studies, research and lobbying by interest groups help designate times of the year when certain wildlife species can be legally hunted, allowing for surplus animals to be removed. In the United States, hunting season and bag limits are determined by guidelines set by the US Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for migratory game such as waterfowl and other migratory game birds. The hunting season and bag limits for state regulated game species such as deer are usually determined by State game Commissions, which are made up of representatives from various interest
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groups, wildlife biologists, and researchers. Open and closed season on Deer in the UK is legislated for in the Deer act 1991 and the Deer Act (Scotland) 1996 Open season Open season is when wildlife is allowed to be hunted by law and is usually during the breeding season. Hunters may be restricted by sex, age or class of animal, for instance there may be an open season for any male deer with 4 points or better on at least one side. Limited entry Where the number of animals taken is to be tightly controlled, managers may have a type of lottery system called limited. Many apply, few are chosen. These hunts may still have age, sex or class restrictions. Closed season Closed season is when wildlife is protected from hunting and is usually during its breeding season. Closed season is enforced by law, any hunting during closed season is punishable by law and termed as illegal hunting or poaching. Type of weapon used In the wildlife management one of the conservation strategy is that the weapon used for hunting should be the one that cause the least damage to the individual and that it should be an advanced weapon so that it may not miss the target and may not hit another individual. This is very important if the trophy hunting is the case. Wild Life is integral to the ecosystem. They help in maintain the prey-predator relationship and hence maintain the balance in the food web. However, there are many endangered species of wildlife today than ever before, thanks to practices like poaching, destruction of habitats because of deforestation and other such practices. Here are some ways that can help in conservation of wildlife and their habitat too. Habitat Management Habitat Management refers to taking care of the habitat of the wildlife, so that they feel at home, safe and secure. Study of different kind of habitats, devising ways of protecting it, its preservation and regular checking of these habitats
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through census and statistical data help a great deal in working out a plan of action in managing a habitat and the species therein.

Habitat creation National Parks, Biosphere Reserves, zoological parks and botanical gardens and sanctuaries work as protected areas for wild life. They help in conserving the wild life in their wild state. Besides being the protected habitats of various species, they are also good places to take a tour of. Breeding in Captivity Breeding in captivity has helped many wild life species in their effort to survive. The national parks and other such protected areas help in the breeding process of many wild lives. For example, breeding in National Park of Alberta helped Mountain Gorilla survive. The European Bison that was breeding in the National Parks of Poland to managed to survive under care and a protected environment. Reintroduction Several endangered species were allowed to reproduce and flourish in places and habitats that suited them. These places were similar to their original habitats. Later, they were introduced to protected areas such as parks and reserves and also to their original habitats after they were found fit to fight for survival. Awareness and Mass Education Awareness about wild life is essential for protecting and appreciating them. People can be encouraged and educated to participate in the preservation
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processes in a number of ways. Some of the ways of increasing awareness levels on wild life are: Celebrating different days dedicated to different species of wildlife. Bringing publicity to this issue through media, film shows, talks, discussions and documentaries. Arranging tours for people and children to seminars and lectures and to areas with wild life such as the local zoo Making children participate through nature clubs in educational institutions and at community level. Publishing and promoting books and journals on wild life and Supporting the establishment of natural history museums. People Participation and Movement People backed movements have a deep impact on policies and bringing about the necessary changes. There have been many such movements in the history that have supported wild life and helped prevent their destruction. Some of them are the Chipko Movement, Appiko Movement, The Silent Valley Movement and the Narmada Bachao Andolan to name a few.

Protection by Law Strict laws and their effective execution are essential to protect wild life. In India, there is a Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972. As per this act, prior permission from competent authorities is essential before tampering with wild life and poaching is punishable under law. We need more laws like this and
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strict execution of them to save our wild life. We should be aware, read, talk and participate in wild life protection measures as much as we can as we live in inter-dependence with them in various ecosystems and wild life is also a heritage that deserves to be protected like other heritages of the world.

20 Ways You Can Save Our Wildlife

Some "dos" and "don'ts"... 1. Do not buy bones, skulls, teeth, trophies or feathers of wild animals. To obtain these product, animals have to be killed and you are encouraging the wildlife trade.

2. Do not think of our wild animals (such as wild boar and deer meat) as exotic food. If we continue to eat these animals at the current rate, there will soon be none left. There is plenty of beef, chicken, fish and other meats available.

3. Dont think of wild animal parts as having medicinal value. For most of the times it is not true. A simple fact - the rhino horn is made of the same stuff (keratin) as your finger nail. Therefore, if you have a fever, would you cook and eat your finger nail?

4. Do not think of hunting for wild animals as a sport. It may be a sport to you but it is certainly not a sport for the animal.

5. Do not hunt for sale or trade in wildlife. Commercial sale of our animals reduces the tourism potential and regeneration potential of our forests, and is bringing some species close to extinction in Sarawak.

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6. If you have no other sources of food and are allowed to hunt animals for subsistence, do not hunt any protected or totally protected species. These are so rare that if they are hunted, they might become extinct.

7. Do not poison the rivers when you go fishing. Poison kills almost everything in the rivers. Besides, it is illegal to do so.

8. If you are fishing using jala (cast nets) or jaring (drift nets), do not use nets with small mesh sizes. use We encourage the use of bigger mesh sizes as this allows juvenile fish to escape capture.

9. Do not fish near the shore, especially in the mangroves. The mangroves are critical breeding grounds for most fishes and prawns.

10.Do not keep wild animals as pets. This includes birds like mynas, hornbills and parrots. By discouraging the pet trade, you are helping to eliminate the harvest of animals from the wild.

11.Do inform the National Parks and Wildlife Service if you encounter illegal activities concerning wildlife. Examples of some illegal activities are : hunting inside national parks and hunting or keeping protected or totally protected species without a licence.

12.Do learn about ways to conserve our animals. Subscribe to a wildlife magazine and watch nature programmes on TV.

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13.Make education your objective when you next visit a wildlife centre.

14.You can contribute to wildlife conservation. Donate to a nature society or club. The contributions are often tax deductable. GIVE to SAVE!!!!

15.Be a volunteer for a nature society or club. Your efforts are valuable.

16.Encourage your school, club and friends to have talks and debates on the values of wildlife conservation.

17.Do take photographs of our wonderful wildlife. Show them to your friends.

18.Encourage your friends and family to respect Wildlife. The animals contribute to your well-being.

19.If you have the option, think of wildlife conservation as a career. It is extremely rewarding.

20.Finally, remember this saying, "In the end, we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught." Bring a friend to a Wildlife Centre and learn more about Wildlife conservation.

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Wildlife & Conservation Statistics

Extinction of Species Every 20 minutes, the world adds another 3,500 human lives but loses one or more entire species of animal or plant life - atleast 27,000 species per year. (Source: PBS) At the present rates of extinction, as many as 20% of the world's 7-15 million species could be gone in the next 30 years. This rate of extinction has been unprecedented since the disappearance of dinosaurs 65 million years ago (Source: WWF). Habitat Destruction (Source: Animal Alliance, unless stated otherwise) Human population reached 1 billion by 1800. Over 6 billion by 2000. Conservative estimates predict that our population will reach 9 billion people by 2050 (Source: Population Reference Bureau). The hourly destruction of an estimated 240 acres of natural habitat is directly attributable to the growth in human populations. 80% of the decline in biological diversity is caused by habitat destruction. Plight of Rhinos (Source: International Rhino Foundation) Of the dozens of species of rhino that once roamed the earth, only 5 now exist. Where there were once over 100,000 black rhinos on the plains of Africa, there are now only 2,707 on the entire continent. The staggering decimation of the rhino population is due to poaching, to satisfy the demand for the horn for use in Eastern traditional medicines and as dagger handles. Prices up to US$40,000 a kilo have been recorded for the much prized rhino horn - more than 5 times the price of gold. The African Elephant (Source: CITES)
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 5 -10 million African elephants existed in 1930. Less than 1% of that number (approximately 600,000) remained when they were added to the international list of the most endangered species in 1989. Demand for ivory combined with loss of habitat from human settlement led to these huge declines in population. African Wild Dog (Source: American Museum of Natural History) Listed as one of the worlds most endangered canids, and the most endangered predator in Africa, there are now only between 4,000-5,000 African wild dogs in the wild. A century ago, African wild dog packs numbering a hundred or more animals could be seen roaming the Serengeti Plains. Today, pack size averages about 10, and the total population on the Serengeti is probably less than 60 dogs. Due to their large home ranges, African wild dogs are particularly vulnerable to habitat destruction. They are widely regarded as pests, and poisoned, shot, trapped and snared in many areas. Their most serious threat, though, is introduced diseases. Burgeoning human populations have brought the African wild dogs into frequent contact with domestic dogs, many of which carry canine distemper and rabies. The African Lion (Source: Enkosini Wildlife Sanctuary) The African lions' numbers are diminishing rapidly due to habitat destruction, persecution by livestock farmers outside of protected areas, and human greed. 10,000-15,000 free-roaming African lions remain, down from 50,000 a decade ago. The willingness of Asians and Westerners to pay handsomely for lion head trophies combined with the urgent need for revenue among African locals means that these great predators are increasingly hunted for sport. Trophy hunting not only depletes the population of the African lion, but
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threatens its gene pool as well. Killing the dominant male of a pride (normally the target of a trophy hunt) sets off a chain of instinctive behavior in which the subsequent dominant male kills all the young of the previous male (6-8 estimated deaths result from each male shot). Cheetahs (Source: The Cheetah Spot) In 1900 there were about 100,000 cheetah worldwide - present estimates place their number at 10,000 -15,000 with about one tenth of those living in captivity. Throughout recorded history a cheetah pelt was a badge of wealth for its human owner. The animal was killed for its skin by some and captured for its hunting skills by others. More recently, increasing human populations have squeezed cheetahs and their prey from their natural habitats.

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