What is the world going to do about the state of its wildlife? That’s a big question we will have to answer, and fast.
Image Credit: BioVoice
Current models from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reveal that wildlife populations are on the decline due to major issues like climate change, land development, and illegal hunting. These kinds of actions cause a negative domino effect in the environment.
Many animal species rely on other animal species to survive; wild predators rely on specific kinds of prey. The natural equilibrium in our environment is leaning too far in one direction and more needs to be done to stabilize the scales.
But climate change isn’t the only problem; illegal hunting, habitat loss, and various other factors also impact our natural environment in negative ways. More animal species are losing footing now than ever, and we continue to bulldoze forests to make room for human city and housing developments. But where does all the wildlife go after that?
According to the Living Planet Report released by the WWF, global populations of all kinds of animals ranging from amphibians, to birds, to fish, to mammals, and even to reptiles have been on the decline for decades.
Between 1970 and 2012, populations across the board have declined up to 58%, and it’s expected this trend will continue. By as soon as 2016, the 58% figure could grow to over 66%, or more easily referred to as two-thirds.
Not only do these numbers appear to illustrate the continuation of our environment swinging into an irreversible imbalance in environmental stability, but the endgame is a world where food and resources are scarce because animals simply have nowhere to live and nothing to eat.
Fortunately, these are jsut predictions and they haven't occurred yet, but they very well could occur if we don't do something about it.
Having a world with biodiversity is an important part of what makes Earth function uniquely from other planets, and as we continue to impose on that, we are taking away from the beauty of our planet. Humans are simply over-developing a world in a way that can’t be sustained forever.
As wild animal loss continues to reveal its very real risks of extinction in places across the globe, the question becomes, “where do we draw the line?”
Limiting development, utilizing cleaner energy sources, recycling harmful materials, and enforcing animal conservation are just some of the things we can do to help the environment and reverse these declining figures.
The time to take action is now, as we’re getting dangerously close to a world where wildlife will become just a fairytale that we’ll tell our grandchildren about.
Source: WWF, (1 – Full Report), (2 – Summary)
