Do you like to walk in nature? Do you appreciate the beauty of the animals and plants around you? If so, you should know that wildlife is important. By protecting wildlife, we help protect our environment and all the benefits that come with it. Learn more about the importance of wildlife below.
What Is Wildlife and Why Is It Important?
Wild animals refer to all animals that aren’t domesticated. You can find wild animals in every country in the world and also on every continent. From lions and tigers to hawks and butterflies, there’s a huge variety of wildlife.
The term wildlife can also be applied to any organism that grows or lives wild in an area without being introduced by humans. Thus, wildlife includes not only animals, but also plants, fungi, and microorganisms that live in their natural environment undisturbed by humans.
Wildlife exists all over the world: almost one-third of the Earth’s land area is covered by forests; these provide habitat for much of the world’s wildlife.
Wildlife is an important part of our natural heritage because they play an important role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and provide many boons to humans, such as food, scientific research opportunities, and esthetics.
The Variety of Different Types of Life That Can Be Found on Our Planet
Our natural world consists of a complex system of interactions between different species. The loss or decline of a single species can disrupt this balance and have long-lasting consequences for other species in the region.
This is also true for humans, who depend on healthy ecosystems for food, clean air and water, shelter, and medicines. We don’t yet know how many species there are on Earth and how they interact with each other. Scientists estimate that more than 91% of marine species have yet to be classified!
What we do know is that our actions are impacting wildlife populations around the world and their habitats – our oceans and forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate. Many endangered species of animals and plants are increasingly at risk of extinction due to human activities such as poaching, overfishing, and climate change.
Wildlife Is an Integral Part of Our Ecosystem
Wildlife is an essential part of our ecosystem. Wildlife plays an important role in stabilizing the environment by controlling various factors such as the population of insects and other organisms, soil erosion, and more.
In addition to these major roles, wildlife also plays many other roles that help maintain ecological balance and biodiversity. These other tasks include seed dispersal, pollination of flowers, etc.
So, it can be said that wild animals play a very important role in maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity.
Wildlife Helps Maintain Ecological Balance and Biodiversity
In a world that’s becoming more and more dominated by humans as our population increases, wildlife is important because it helps maintain the ecological balance.
Biodiversity or biological diversity refers to the variety of different types of life found on our planet, including all plants, animals, microorganisms, and other organisms.
Why is it important?
The world’s biodiversity is important for many reasons:
- It provides us with food and water
- it helps maintain a stable climate
- it breaks down waste and recycles nutrients
- It keeps pests under control; It protects against soil erosion and flooding
- It provides raw materials (e.g., wood)
- It provides energy (e.g., fossil fuels)
When a species becomes rare, it can pose a threat to humans because of its lack of genetic diversity. This means that those with high species diversity live longer than those with less species diversity. Predators play an important role in maintaining the ecosystem and keeping it healthy.
Wildlife also play an important role in providing food for us. If we kill most of their livestock and keep only a few domesticated breeds, we risk massive famine in a few years if crops fail for any reason.
Wildlife helps to ensure that we always have something to eat so that our survival doesn’t depend solely on agriculture – that’s why it’s so sad that many species are becoming extinct!
Biodiversity Includes Not Only the Many Species That Exist but Also the Many Ecosystems
Biodiversity includes not only the many species that exist, but also the many ecosystems that make up those species, and the genetic diversity within each species or population.
Genetic diversity is the diversity of genes within a species or population. It’s important because it helps the species adapt to new environmental conditions. The greater the genetic diversity of a species, the more likely it’s to survive and successfully reproduce under new conditions. It’s like having many people with different talents on your team – you’re better positioned to meet any challenge.
The genetic diversity of a species depends on its size – the larger the population, the greater its genetic diversity. This means that some large populations are genetically diverse and can successfully adapt to their environment.
However, this isn’t always the case – some large populations are still endangered! It’s not just about counting species, but also understanding what they’re and how they relate to each other and the environment in which they live.
Many Plants and Animals Have Medicinal Properties
Herbal medicines are the oldest form of medicine known to man. For thousands of years, plants and herbs have been used by almost all civilizations of the world to treat many diseases.
Even today, many people use herbal medicines as the basis for modern medicines. In fact, over 25% of today’s prescription drugs contain at least one herbal ingredient, from digitalis and quinine to morphine and codeine.
Wild Species Play a Role in Pest Control
Wildlife plays an important role in pest control. Pests can damage crops and other plants, resulting in less food for people. Wildlife helps control populations of these pests.
Songbirds, for example, eat insects such as aphids and grasshoppers that harm crops. Some mammals also help reduce populations of white grubs. Insects aren’t the only pests that wildlife control; rodents and rabbits also eat our food crops, but predators like foxes and hawks eat them!
Spiders eat mosquitos. One particular species of spider alone can devour 3,000 mosquitos in a single year! Spiders also eat aphids which can destroy crops like wheat, corn, celery, and more. Frogs gobble up various bugs that would otherwise love to nibble at your favorite flowers on veggies in the garden.
Other examples include ladybugs eating aphids and potato beetles; snakes eating slugs, grubs, and caterpillars; centipedes killing ants; woodpeckers eating wood-boring insects; birds preying on grasshoppers; bats feasting on beetles and moths; dragonflies gobbling mosquitos…the list goes on!
However, we must remember that there are other ways to control pests besides using wildlife. We should never release animals into unfamiliar areas where they could become invasive species or endanger local wildlife populations!
The use of pesticides is another way to eliminate pests, but this is harmful to the environment and surrounding ecosystems and should be used sparingly.
Wildlife Conservation Has Become an Increasingly Important Practice
Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting endangered plant and animal species and their habitats.
The goals of wildlife conservation include preserving nature for future generations and recognizing the importance of wildlife and wilderness to people.
Many countries have government agencies involved in wildlife conservation that help implement wildlife protection measures. Numerous independent nonprofit organizations also work to protect wildlife.
The goal isn’t only a sustainable population, but one that can meet human needs such as food, fuel, clothing, medicine, or other products derived from animals or plants. Some people believe that all living organisms have intrinsic value, while others believe that only humans have intrinsic value (anthropocentrism).
Wildlife conservation has become an increasingly important practice due to the negative effects of human activity on wildlife.
There is also increasing awareness that the globe is undergoing a period of massive extinction of species due to human activities and that wildlife conservation efforts need to be made more effective worldwide.
Wildlife Conservation Helps in Maintaining the Ecological Balance of the Environment
The protection of wildlife is very important because it helps to maintain the ecological balance in the environment.
The domestication of wild plant and animal species for the benefit of humans has occurred throughout the world and has had a great impact on the environment, both positive and negative.
Wild animals exist in all ecosystems. Deserts, forests, rainforests, plains, and other areas, including the most developed urban areas, have different forms of wildlife.
While international trade in wild plants and species has been well documented for centuries, botanists and zoologists have become more concerned with wildlife conservation since World War II. In the face of a growing population seeking resources such as food, shelter, warmth, medicines, etc., wildlife conservation helps to preserve our natural resources.
Protecting Habitat Diversity
Protecting wildlife habitats is important because it preserves the diversity of habitats that help maintain a healthy ecosystem.
Maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity is important for a healthy ecosystem. Wildlife conservation helps maintain ecological balance in the environment. It involves the protection and management of various species of wildlife that are either endangered or in danger of extinction due to changes in environmental conditions or other important factors.
What Are Some of the Challenges Faced by Wildlife Today and How Can We Help Address Them?
Wildlife can be affected directly or indirectly by the following:
- Habitat loss and fragmentation. This occurs when human activities destroy, degrade, or isolate natural habitats to the detriment of wildlife.
- Climate change. The warming of our planet is changing the seasonal cycles and habitats that wildlife depend on for survival.
- Pollution. Wildlife is affected by all types of pollution, including air, soil, water, noise, and light, placing additional stress on their habitat.
- Invasive species. Non-native species: often introduced to an area by human activities. These non-native species can compete with native wildlife for food and space, sometimes leaving native animals without a safe place in their ecosystem to survive.
- Poaching: Illegal hunting or harvesting of wildlife is a major cause of global wildlife decline. Many species are hunted for their meat (e.g., elephant ivory), fur, or body parts (e.g., rhino horns), making them vulnerable to poaching for commercial purposes.
How Has Human Activity Impacted Wildlife Populations and What Can Be Done to Mitigate These Effects?
Wildlife populations are rapidly declining, largely due to human activities:
- Illegal wildlife trade
- Overhunting
- Pollution
- Invasion of exotic species
- Climate change
- Spread of disease
- Development
- Overconsumption
- Deforestation
Wildlife Can Be an Important Source of Food for Humans
In some parts of the world, wild animals are an important source of food. People hunt wildlife for survival or for sport and recreation. Traditional hunting methods are still used by nomadic tribes in southern Africa and northern Asia, for example.
Hunting for survival is one of the oldest human traditions. As the population grew and the environment no longer allowed hunting as a primary means of survival, many people turned to agriculture and other sources of food. However, hunting remained a popular means of obtaining food for subsistence or trade.
In many places around the world today, hunting is still used for subsistence. Wildlife remains an important source of income and food for many people, affecting both their well-being and their culture.
Wildlife is an important food source for millions of poor people in developing countries who cannot afford or produce enough high-quality protein from livestock. Demand for wildlife products often leads to overhunting that threatens wildlife populations with extinction.
They Are Also a Valuable Resource for Tourism
Wildlife tourism is a large sector in the tourism industry. According to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council, wildlife tourism directly contributed $120.1 bn to global GDP in 2018.
In the United States alone, there are more than 45 million visits to wildlife refuges annually.
People interested in wildlife tourism can participate in a variety of activities such as wildlife viewing at wildlife parks, wildlife photography, wildlife tours, and wildlife safaris. Safaris are trips that involve extensive travel to wildlife sanctuaries or other previously undeveloped areas.
Safari tourism is considered part of ecotourism because travelers usually have an interest in local cultures and natural history. Wildlife sanctuaries also provide opportunities for ecotourism because they help save ecosystems and rare species from extinction by preserving their habitat,
The more exceptional wildlife there is in a region, the more tourists are attracted and spend money on lodging, food, and other things while they’re there. Walruses attract tourists in Alaska, as do penguins in South Africa and New Zealand. Tourists from all over the world come to America’s Yellowstone National Park to see grizzly bears, bison, and moose, among others, just as they come to Africa’s Serengeti to see lions, elephants, and giraffes.
How Does Climate Change Impact Wildlife Populations
Climate change is a massive threat to wildlife species – from insects to polar bears.
While most people know that climate change is a global problem, many are unaware of how much it affects the animals in their own backyard.
Below are some of the main reasons climate change is negatively impacting the wildlife population worldwide:
- Animals are forced to move to higher elevations. Climate-induced changes in habitat are causing species such as pikas and polar bears to move to smaller areas or out of the habitats they need to survive. This can lead to malnutrition and death, as well as reproductive problems. In addition, these animals compete directly with other species for food and shelter, leading to increased stress for all involved.
- Warmer oceans have led to changes in water chemistry that may threaten some fish species with extinction, and invasive species have taken advantage of temperature changes to spread into new areas.
- Animals that hibernate may lose the protective layer they need to survive extended periods without food or water if less snow falls in their habitat
- Aquatic species such as salmon that spawn in response to seasonal temperature changes may experience a decline in their populations if those temperature changes occur too quickly
All of these changes are causing major upheavals in ecosystems, leaving some animals and plants competing for fewer resources and increasing the likelihood that entire populations will become extinct.
What Are Some of the Most Endangered Species in the World
There are countless species of animals in the world, and some are more endangered than others.
The IUCN’s Red List classifies more than 40,000 species as threatened with extinction, out of 142,500 tracked species globally.
Endangered animals include:
- Eastern Lowland Gorilla
- Hawksbill Turtle
- Javan Rhino
- Orangutan
- Giant Panda
- Blue Whale
- Amur Leopard
They Are Necessary for Pollination and Seed Dispersal
Wildlife plays a critical role in pollination and seed dispersal. In fact, without wildlife, plants would not be able to grow.
Bees are the most common source of pollination; they gather pollen from flowers and carry it to other flowers. This process allows plants to develop seeds and fruit. Birds and bats also play a significant role in pollination by carrying pollen between different flower species.
Seed dispersal occurs when animals eat fruit or berries containing seeds and then deposit the seeds in another location via defecation or regurgitation. This helps plants spread across the land and ensures there are enough nutrients for them to grow well when they take root. Seed dispersal is also important because it encourages biodiversity by allowing new plant varieties to develop in previously undiscovered areas.
They Are Beautiful to Look At
Wildlife has a high esthetic value. Wildlife is beautiful to look at, which is one of the reasons why wildlife photography, painting, and other arts are so popular.
Many people enjoy recreational activities such as bird watching. Esthetic experiences with nature can be both relaxing and stimulating. Wildlife is the most natural form of entertainment we have without resorting to artificial alternatives such as mass media or video games.
We Need to Do Our Best to Protect Them
It’s important that we protect wildlife so that we can continue to enjoy all the benefits it provides. It’s our most precious natural resource.
One way to do this is to not hunt a particular species too much.
Another way is to protect the habitats of certain animals, increasing the chance that their species will thrive. The last thing you want is for your favorite bird species, fish, or other creature to go extinct because not enough action was taken to protect it.
Another way we can help protect wildlife is by stopping poaching and illegal trade in endangered animals and fighting illegal logging and fishing.