Earth, the planet that we live on, is believed to be the prettiest in the Solar system for a good reason. It is the only one with diverse ecosystems that create a vibrant mix of colours. There is a great deal of blue, a fair amount of green, and a smattering of white swirls above.
The immense blue comes from the presence of the oceans, seas, and large lakes on the surface just as the lot of green comes from large swathes of vegetation. Then, there are the clouds floating about, they look a delicate white, swirling all the time to form interesting shapes. All of this contributes to the aesthetic beauty and visual appeal of the Earth.
But, hang on. Why are we talking about all this? Only because each of these unique landscapes is home to countless flora (other than the sky) and fauna that we collectively call “wildlife”. If you do a little research, you will find the sheer number of plant and animal life on Earth quite mind-boggling.
There are at least 0.5 million plants species that have been identified to varying extent while some are still waiting to be discovered and named officially. As for animals, 2.16 million have been formally described as per official lists.
Now, here’s the startling fact. Wildlife populations are declining with a 73% decline in the average population size between 1970 and 2020 as per the Living Planet Report 2024.
Should we be worried? Definitely. This decline is catastrophic to say the least and threatens to upend the health of the planet.
- Habitat loss: This is the primary cause of extinction that’s driven by human activities like agriculture and development.
- Overharvesting: This is also another human activity necessitated by the global food system.
- Invasive species: Yet another human activity, though this is largely non-intention. Here, we find the introduction of harmful non-native species.
- Disease: The spread of diseases among wildlife populations that wipes out huge numbers.
- Climate change: Requires plant species to shift to cooler climes, which can disrupt food chains. Also, forces animals to look for life other than in their native zones.
So, What Happens?
- The decline in wildlife populations negatively impacts the health and resilience of our environment.
- It pushes nature closer to tipping points, that are critical thresholds that can result in substantial and potentially irreversible change.
Can We Do Something About It?
For sure. Let wildlife live by working out solutions to offset the adverse effects caused by human activities. But first, we need to be aware and love wildlife.
On 20 December 2013, the Sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly decided to declare March 3 as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora. The date is the day of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973. The multilateral treaty plays an important role in ensuring that international trade does not threaten the species’ survival.
CITES remains one of the world’s most powerful tools for biodiversity conservation through the regulation of trade in wild fauna and flora with nearly 200 member states as on date.
At Camongo, we think caring for wildlife begins with a small step that each of us can take. By being interested, being aware, being involved about wild flora and fauna. On this World Wildlife Day, why not start restoring nature in your own way by loving it first?
ACTOR SABYASACHI CHAKRABORTY SHARES WITH CAMONGO HIS ENDURING LOVE FOR WILDLIFE
The love for exploring deep forests and jungles has been in me since my childhood. As a family, my parents were hugely fond of travelling. As a family, we travelled often and our trips and tours came to be a constant fixture of my younger days.
After my father’s demise, there was a brief period of lull when my travels came to a halt till a close friend suggested that we set out to a particular destination in the forest.
We spruced up an old car that I had – it earlier belonged to my Pishi (paternal aunt) and once it was running satisfactorily again, we ventured with it into the jungle. I was carrying a modest aim and shoot camera from Europe, a present from my late father and I clicked away the landscape to my heart’s content.
Right in front of me were the denizens of the forests roaming wild and free – deer, monkeys and chimpanzees, gaur, snakes, and elephants. I was mesmerised by the entire atmosphere.
I had earlier been into areas of dense vegetation with my family and maybe spotted an animal or bird in the wild from a distance, but this was the first time that I was seeing them up and close. I was absolutely fascinated with this experience of seeing wild animals at less than ten feet from my jeep!
Strangely enough, I wasn’t scared in the least. Not for a split second did I feel that I was vulnerable or in eminent danger of being attacked by wildlife. You may say that was an instant friendship, an instant affection, a love that grew magically.
I determined there and then that this would only grow thereon. And, it is something that I have pursued passionately all these years – this escape into wilderness.
My previous tour to the wild was with my wife (Mithu Chakraborty). We went to Kenya and Tanzania. Notwithstanding the rather gruelling sessions of medical treatment that she had to undergo in the recent past, she opted to travel with me and we spent a wonderful time together, roughing it out in the wild and taking plenty of photographs.
With Inputs from Neha Karmakar
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