5 reasons why wildlife conservation should be on your To-Do list
- Protection against climate change
We all know that forests play a vital role in tackling climate change by storing carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. But did you know that the wild animals in these forests also have a crucial role to play? Protecting wildlife could significantly reduce the frequency and intensity of destructive forest wildfires. Plant-eating wild animals reduce the amount of grass that can fuel fires through grazing.
2. Nature’s medicine cabinet
Chemicals from nature have been a part of human civilization ever since our early ancestors began using them to improve and enrich their own lives. Today, they continue to provide valuable knowledge to researchers and medical practitioners with crucial implications for medical sciences. Amphibians are especially important for modern medicine with compounds extracted from frogs alone used for treating depression, seizures, strokes and memory loss.
3. Nutrient-rich food source
Wild animals serve as a critical food source, rich in proteins and minerals for billions of people around the world. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation reports that 34 million people rely on fishing for a living, providing protein to over 3 billion people.
4. Cultural significance
Non-material benefits, ranging from spiritual enrichment to leisure pursuits, while difficult to measure and value, are amongst the least recognized yet most important contributions of wildlife to human well-being. E.g Mugumo tree, the names like Njogu-Elephant, Mbogo- Buffalo
5. Improving soil health and fertility
Wild animals play a key role in enhancing the health and fertility of the soil by improving its nutrients. Their dung and urine help replenish the nutrient content of the soil by providing it with enriching minerals. Wildlife, which ranges widely, can also move nutrients around — for example, the hippo’s night-time grazing in grasslands brings nutrients back to the river through their dung, increasing fish productivity.
