It’s time to acknowledge wildlife conservation

There are a series of threats that are currently endangering animals. During a pandemic it is easy to forget about issues our world was already facing. But, if we continue to ignore this crisis and turn a blind eye towards the importance of wildlife conservation, how long do we have before they all face extinction?

We are in the midst of a global pandemic, but that doesn’t mean we should forget about other issues too. The actions of people have damaged this planet. Whether that be rising carbon dioxide emissions that is warming up our planet, extinction of wildlife in the hands of humans and the plastic situation, which is already a pandemic. What are we going to do about it?

As a huge animal lover, it is devastating to see species decreasing. Animals face multiple threats on a daily basis, and humans remain the leading cause of it all. During the coronavirus pandemic there has been a surge in poaching. Poachers are taking advantage of the situation the world is currently in.

The threat of poachers

Poachers hunt animals for money. Animals such as elephants and rhinos have their tusks and horns stolen from them, often brutally killing them or leaving them to die. The tusks and horns are sold illegally to other countries, especially in China. The demand is for traditional Chinese medicine or ornaments and jewellery. It seems as though people are willing to sacrifice animals in order to look wealthy in their societies.

The World Wildlife Fund reports that rhinos are critically endangered. The number of Asian elephants has declined by 50% and continues to decline. But there are so many other species in the world that are also critically endangered. The threat is very much real.

Trophy hunters are another huge part of the problem

A news story broke out in 2015 about an American dentist, Walter Palmer. He sparked outrage throughout the world when he killed a much-loved lion, Cecil, who lived at Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Cecil was reportedly lured out of the park when he was killed.

This sparked a chain of protests around the world for Walter Palmer to be prosecuted and there be an end to poaching by enforcing strict anti-poaching laws and consequences for those who breach it. Unfortunately, Palmer walked away unprosecuted.

Recently, the media has reported that Palmer is active again in Mongolia. A picture on social media of him and another man holding a dead altai argali- the world’s largest sheep.

Hunters like Palmer go unpunished and there are no laws in place to protect these animals. Organisations like WWF do vital work to push countries into putting laws in place. If we don’t have stricter measures in place, there is a chance for mass extinction amongst species.

It was reported that a rare mountain gorilla called Rafiki had been killed by a poacher. Rafikis lived at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. The poacher that killed the loved gorilla, was sentenced to 11 years in jail.

WWF states mountain gorillas are ‘critically endangered.’

Although justice was served for the death of Rafiki, there is still more to be done. Should poachers get longer sentences? Yes. Without strict laws and punishments in place, poaching will continue to be on the rise.

It is worrying to think poachers have the confidence and liberty to kill animals in general, never mind much-loved ones in national parks.

Wild animals also help bring tourism to countries. As species decrease, so will tourism. Countries and organisations won’t have the money and resources to care and protect them. This effects not only the wildlife, but the people who live alongside them.

But animals face other predators too.

The environment- how bad is it getting?

Damages to the environment, such as loss of habitat and pollution, are also an immense threat.

Deforestation and climate change are having a huge impact on the planet. An example being the unsustainable production of palm oil. Malaysia and Indonesia are the biggest producers of it. It’s the only home left of the orangutans. They are constantly under threat of losing their habitat.

Palm oil is in a lot of the foods we eat on a daily basis. This includes chocolate, biscuits and crisps. Packaging should be made clear enough. Many of us trying to cut back on eating foods containing palm oil are unaware that foods we regularly eat contain it.

I’m sure most of us don’t constantly check the ingredients list on the back of the food. Companies and the government have the power to change this and make buyers more aware about what they are buying. But why don’t they?

In 2018, Iceland released a Christmas advert, bringing up the importance of how production of palm oil is destroying habitats and ecosystems. They also show the uncertainty facing orangutans and their homes. If you have watched it, you should understand how vital this is in raising awareness and bringing about educational talks.

It’s incredibly heartbreaking and hard to witness how deforestation is impacting our planet, but it is necessary. The TV advert got banned for being ‘too political’. It’s scary that adverts emphasising the issue facing wildlife conservation are took down on political terms.

This is not a political issue, it’s a world issue.

WWF expresses that production of palm oil is also affecting tigers in Indonesia. Sumatran tigers have lost 50% of its forest to the production of palm oil. Loss of habitat makes them vulnerable. Tigers are killed for their coat and traditional medicines.

This also affects elephants. National parks get destroyed to produce the oil. With elephants, destruction of habitat leads to more increased conflict with humans.

The plastic pandemic

Plastic is a contributor to global warming.

The International Union of Conservation of Nature reports that at least 8 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans every year.

A lot of marine wildlife are dying due to plastic. It can be mistaken for prey. Plastic pollution can affect sea turtles, dolphins, whales, seals, sea birds and many other animals.

During the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen a rise in surgical masks and latex gloves polluting our oceans. With face masks becoming mandatory in places, it is better to use cotton face masks. This is because they are more environmentally friendly.

I think we all agree that the paper straws are quite annoying when we’re eating at our favourite fast food place. Plastic straws feel more efficient. But the amount of plastic we use and receive is worrying. I think having paper straws or using metal straws are the least of our worries.

It is essential that we do our research.

The role I play

I believe everyone has their part to play in making this world a better one. I’m sure that we’ve all heard people saying that ‘our small contribution won’t change anything’. But, if we all thought like that, nothing would change.

Simple things such as turning off lights, switching off plug sockets and cutting down on meat intake help. Even adopting an animal with WWF and protecting animals by buying cruelty free products. But the most important is researching and speaking up. We need to recognise that this is a global issue, deprived of media coverage.

Times are scary and unpredictable right now. Discussing world issues is both informative and educational; and it needs to happen more often. Writing enlightening pieces such as this on a topic close to my heart is so important to me.

We should all care about the environment, our wildlife, and what goes on. It’s important to remember that we all have a voice, and it is up to us on how we use it.

Robyn Lawrence
Image courtesy of Sergi Ferrete on Unsplash