Assignment Topic : Nature & Wildlife Conservation

Subject : Ecology

Submitted To : Miss Sadia Maqbool

Submitted By : Shahroz Hussain

Reg# 15-uglc-1023

Bs. (Hons) 6th Zoology

University of Sargodha, Lyallpur Campus Fsd.

Contents :
1. Nature

2. Importance of nature

3. Destruction of nature

4. Conservation of nature

5. Wildlife

6. Importance of wildlife

7. Cause of wildlife destruction

8. Ways to conserve animals

9. Refrence
1. Nature:
The phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and
other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations.

2. Importance of Nature:
Many people in rural areas depend on protected forests, pastures, wetlands and marine areas
for their livelihoods. Protected areas, when carefully designed and managed, can contribute to
poverty reduction and sustainable development including the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals. The provisioning services (food, fuel, fresh water and herbal medicines) of
protected areas have direct use and value to rural communities.
Ensuring environmental sustainability is one of the Millennium Development Goals. One of the
indicators to measure progress towards this goal is the percentage of areas under protection.
There is increasing recognition that conservation efforts supporting protected area creation and
management are essential to achieving the other Millennium Development Goals, since these
areas maintain healthy ecosystems and their services. Yet biodiversity loss and ecosystem
degradation pose a significant threat to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals.
Nearly 1.1 billion people worldwide depend on forest-protected areas for their livelihoods, and
that forest-related income provides a significant share of total household income. Marine and
inland water protected areas serve as an excellent source of substantial income and food
security from fishing for poverty-stricken households. A study in Cambodia has shown that fuel
wood, fishing and other resources provided by mangrove-protected areas, constituted 20-58%
of household incomes, with heavier reliance among poorer households. The 50,000 residents of
Lupande Game Management Area in Zambia raise annual revenue of US$ 230,000 (representing
80% of the total revenue) from two hunting concessions. The Maya Biosphere Reserve in
Guatemala generates an annual income of approximately US$ 47 million and provides
employment to 7,000 people. Pollination services of protected areas in South Africa’s Cape
Region are worth approximately US$ 400 million annually. Wetland and woodland products
from the community-managed Mtanza-Msona Village Forest Reserve, adjacent to the protected
areas can serve as important elements of climate change adaptation and mitigation. By
conserving unbroken blocks of intact habitat, protected areas increase the ecosystems’
resilience to climate change since ecosystems with high biodiversity and intact structural
components recover more easily from climatic disturbances. Furthermore, protected areas can
provide protection against physical impacts of climate change such as rising sea levels, rising
temperatures and extreme weather events.
Sea level rise and increased storm damage put coastal communities and small islands at
particular risk. Building physical barriers against the rising sea is technically difficult and
expensive, especially for countries with large, low-lying coastal regions. Natural features such as
coral reefs and mangroves are the most cost-effective options for maintaining coastal integrity.
The value of mangroves as coastal protection has been estimated to be as much as US$ 300,000
per kilometre of coastline.

3. Destruction of Nature :
is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such
as air, water and soil the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of
wildlife; and pollution. It is defined as any change or disturbance to the environment perceived
to be deleterious or undesirable. As indicated by the I=PAT equation, environmental impact or
degradation is caused by the combination of an already very large and increasing human
population, continually increasing economic growth or per capita affluence, and the application
of resource-depleting and polluting technology.
4. Conservation of nature:
is basically the conservation of resources such as air, water, sunlight, land, vegetation, animal
life and minerals. All these resources are obtained from nature without any interference from
the mankind. These resources are further employed to produce various things that make the
lives of human beings as well as other living beings comfortable.

Natural resources are broadly categorized into renewable resources and non-renewable
resources. Renewable resources are the ones that replenish naturally. These include air, water
and sunlight. The use of these resources is encouraged over the non-renewable resources as
the latter do not replenish and are fast depleting.

Conservation of nature is an issue that must be taken seriously. While the governments of
different countries are employing various means to conserve nature, individuals must also
come forward to contribute their bit in this direction. Some of the ways in which the common
man can help in the conservation of nature is by planting trees, restricting the use of paper,
stopping wastage of water and electricity, stopping ill practices such as hunting of animals, and
employing rain water harvesting systems. It does not take much to put the above mentioned
ideas to practice. However, if each one of us contributes our bit to it, the difference it will bring
about would be tremendous.
5. Wildlife:

Wildlife traditionally refers to undomesticated animal species, but has come to include

all plants, fungi, and other organisms that grow or live wild in an area without
being introduced by humans.

Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, forests, rain forests, plains, grasslands and
other areas including the most developed urban areas, 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 much wildlife is affected by human activities.
Humans have historically tended to separate civilization from wildlife in a number of ways
including the legal, social, and moral sense. Some animals, however, have adapted to suburban
environments. This includes such animals as domesticated cats, dogs, mice, and gerbils. Some
religions declare certain animals to be sacred, and in modern times concern for the natural
environment has provoked activists to protest against the exploitation of wildlife for human
benefit or entertainment.

6. Importance of wildlife :
Food, pets, and traditional medicines

A mesh bag full of live frogs waiting for a buyer at Chiang Mai's Thanin market. Frog meat
in Thailand is mostly used in stir-fries and Thai curries.
Anthropologists believe that the Stone Age people and hunter-gatherers relied on wildlife, both
plants and animals, for their food. In fact, some species may have been hunted to extinction by
early human hunters. Today, hunting, fishing, and 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 of it. [citation
needed]
 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.

Religion:
Many animal 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. In Hinduism the
cow is regarded sacred.[6]
Muslims conduct sacrifices on Eid al-Adha, to commemorate the sacrificial spirit
of Ibrāhīm (Arabic: ‫هـيـم‬ِ ‫بـرا‬
َ ِ ‫إ‬, Abraham) in love of God. Camels, sheep, goats, and cows may be offered as
sacrifice during the three days of Eid.
Tourism :
Many nations have established their tourism sector around their natural wildlife. South
Africa has, for example, many opportunities for tourists to see the country's wildlife in its
national parks, such as the Kruger Park. In South India, the Periar Wildlife Sanctuary, Bandipur
National Park and Mudamalai Wildlife Sanctuary are situated around and in forests. India is
home to many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries showing the diversity of its wildlife, much
of its unique fauna, and excels in the range. There are 89 national parks, 13 bio reserves and
more than 400 wildlife sanctuaries across India which are the best places to go to see Bengal
tigers, Asiatic lions, Indian elephants, Indian rhinoceroses, birds, and other wildlife which reflect
the importance that the country places on nature and wildlife conservation.

7. Cause of wildlife destruction:

The rate of depletion of wildlife has been so high in the last few hundred years that it is
believed that our generation is living in the 6th great mass extinction event on this planet.
There are four main reasons for the depletion of wildlife.

1)Habitat destruction

2)Overkill

3)Impact of introduced species

4) Extinction chains

1)Habitat Destruction:
The habitat of any given species is considered its preferred area or territory. Many processes
associated with human habitation or exploitation of an area cause loss of this area and
decrease the carrying capacity of the land for that species. And thus leading to the extinction of
native species. Exploitation of wild populations has been a characteristic of modern man since
our exodus from Africa. Reasons for habitat destruction are deforestation, industrialization,
pollution….etc.

2)OverKill:
Wildlife is an invaluable treasure but it is being exploited due to illegal trade of many of its
species. Overkill happens 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 like sharks, whales
and also many other mammals and birds. They are hunted mainly for our uses and for fur,tusks
etc. Apart from this, trophy hunting has lead to the depletion of wildlife species. Overkill is
considered as one of the main reasons for wildlife depletion.
3)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. 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. This also leads to the depletion of wildlife due to the superiority of the introduced
species.

4) Extinction Chains:

All wildlife species have complex interlinks with each other. And extinction of one species will
effect the lives of many other species. Imagine that the wildlife is like a spider web, it u touch a
part of the web it will effect the whole web. For example, some insectivorous birds eat the
parasites on hippopotamus. If the hippo species go extinct, it will effect those birds and also
effect the species that are interlinked with the birds and so on.

Ways to conserve animals :

There are more than 7 billion people on Earth. Imagine if every one of us committed to do one
thing — no matter how small — to protect wildlife every day. Even minor actions can have a
major impact when we all work together. Here are ways you can make a difference:

1. Adopt. From wild animals to wild places, there’s an option for everyone. Get together with
classmates to adopt an animal from a wildlife conservation organization such as the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF). Symbolic adoptions help fund organizations.

2. Volunteer. If you don’t have money to give, donate your time. Many organizations and
zoos have volunteer programs. You can help clean beaches, rescue wild animals or teach
visitors.

3. Visit. Zoos, aquariums, national parks and wildlife refuges are all home to wild animals.
Learn more about our planet’s species from experts. See Earth’s most amazing creatures up
close.

4. Donate. When you visit your local accredited zoos and nature reserves, pay the
recommended entry fee. Your donations help maintain these vital conservation areas.

5. Speak Up. Share your passion for wildlife conservation with your family. Tell your friends
how they can help. Ask everyone you know to pledge to do what they can to stop wildlife
trafficking.

6. Buy Responsibly. By not purchasing products made from endangered

animals or their parts, you can stop wildlife trafficking from being a profitable
enterprise.

7. Pitch In. Trash isn’t just ugly, it’s harmful. Birds and other animals can trap their heads in
plastic rings. Fish can get stuck in nets. Plus, trash pollutes everyone’s natural resources. Do
your part by putting trash in its place.

8. Recycle. Find new ways to use things you already own. If you can’t reuse, recycle. The
Minnesota Zoo encourages patrons to recycle mobile phones to reduce demand for the mineral
coltan, which is mined from lowland gorillas’ habitats.

9. Restore. Habitat destruction is the main threat to 85 percent of all threatened and
endangered species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. You can
help reduce this threat by planting native trees, restoring wetlands or cleaning up beaches in
your area.

10. Join. Whether you’re into protecting natural habitats or preventing wildlife trafficking,
find the organization that speaks to your passion and get involved. Become a member. Stay
informed. Actively support the organization of your choice.

1. World Wildlife Day, held March 3, celebrates the diversity of the planet’s plants and
animals. Follow @WildlifeDay on Twitter, and use hashtag #WorldWildlifeDay to join
the conversation.

Refrences :
1. Wikipedia
2. "Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement".
3. Conservation and Wildlife.
4. "Conservation Funding - National Wildlife Federation". www.nwf.org.
5. https://sciencing.com › Nature
6. https://www.nature.com/.../environmental-constraints-to-the-geographic-
expansion-of-1
7. www.globalissues.org/article/177/nature-and-animal-conservation