Will conservation for today's wildlife be a success, or is it too late?

     I often wonder what it would be like to live in a world where you could see various species that have become extinct due to the impact humans have had on them. I questioned myself earlier 'what would it be like to see a flock of passenger pigeons, or walk through the forests of Tasmania and see a thylacine,' among similar questions I then asked myself ' If I ever take in kids and they have kids - I would likely end up with them asking: 'What was it like to see a live tiger? or maybe what was it like to see a live elephant?' I stopped myself before I could even imagine a simple answer to those questions. I suppose I would make every attempt possible to make a time machine and take them back when they could see them in a zoo, or better yet living free. If only it could be that simple.

     I have always loved wildlife, I had learned a lot from shows I watched as a kid. Three of these included Zaboomafoo, Jeff Corwin Experience and The Crocodile Hunter, I wanted to grow up and be like Steve Irwin. -May he rest in peace- As I got older I started watching various movies that showed animals (Two Brothers, Born Free, etc), eventually I started watching various documentaries like Shark Week, Big Cat Diary, Nature... So will that be the only way a few generations from now will be able to see these amazing creatures? It is very likely, and increasingly sad.

    It falls on the human race to save every species left on the planet, in theory if we can't save them, we can't save ourselves - and as a species the human race is in trouble. We have all heard of the large conservation networks ie: WWF, The Nature Conservancy, The Sierra Club, among many others. I do suggest everyone see this article (http://animals.about.com/od/wildlifeconservation/tp/wildlifeconserv.htm) it explains how donations are split between projects. You don't even have to donate to help conserve wildlife. If you want to help out (local is the easiest and the best way to start out) if you see trash pick it up (doesn't hurt to carry a bag along!) and take it to a recycle it or dispose of properly. Volunteer at a local nature park, nature nursery, or become a zoo volunteer (visit aza.org to find a certified zoo) and become a wildlife educator. 

     I will start off this section with a side note introduction: This cat here is one of only a few Amur Leopards left (her name is Emma, and she lives at the Philadelphia Zoo). The Amur leopard has been at a stand still, with numbers in the wild estimated at 50 individuals, or less. Only a few hundred remain in captivity. To see, this beautiful creature on the brink of extinction..... do the Amur leopards have any hope? Yes, and no... for many reasons like all cats leopards are considered a nuisance because they attack livestock or pets and potentially pose a threat to humans, another reason is that they are used for traditional medicine to support healing, and sadly they are also killed for the one thing that makes them beautiful - their fur. When I was a frequent zoo volunteer in Ohio, we didn't have any Amur leopards. I always chose to go and educate the public about them, because I hoped that information would get around about this beautiful cat.  
     I. Man's Fear of Predators
Humans have evolved along side predators, in the early evolution predators such as cats, wolves, bears, etc. Would have been able to easily hunt down and kill early humans. With most of these predators being nocturnal, and humans not this led to an increase in fear and ultimately made it easier for the animals to kill humans. This fear is still strong today. However if you take into example when humans evolved with lions in Africa, every time a lion killed someone they would go out and kill the lion - over time this had evolved the trait of an inherit fear of humans, and this goes for all predators. However if an animal attacks someone, realizes they aren't able to defend themselves that fear is immediately gone, typically that happens when human crosses the line with that animal (ie: gets to close, feeds it, etc). There is a reason for the 'Do Not Feed the Bear' sign. Should these animals be feared? No, instead they need to be understood and respected.
 
 
     II. Cost of Human Goods
Did you ever wonder where most of the products you use in your daily life come from? Did it ever cross your mind that you could be severely hurting the environment? Anything from the paper you use, to the food you eat lets start off with some popular examples. Palm oil (unsustainable)- a major threat to Orangutans, (& other animals) rapid deforestation, makes it easier to poachers to kill adult Orangutans, and the orphans? -sent to the black market to be sold off as illegal pets. Meats/dairy - Factory farms are nothing more than a toxic waste dump, literally. Various toxins and parasites then find their way into our backyards and water. See the drone video another person had taken; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayGJ1YSfDXs . So family farms, buy smart!
 
     III. Poaching for Fur/Animal Parts
This is will always be an ongoing issue, as long as people still demand the products. Why do people poach animals? Simple, money. For example a rhino horn is estimated at $30,000 PER POUND on the black market. Another reason is those who live in poor countries often kill animals such as gorillas for bush meat, only because it is cheaper than cattle - and they could profit off the extra parts that they don't consume. As for fur humans used to kill animals for clothing, just a heads up... if anyone is unaware we are not cavemen anymore. Yes the fur animals are beautiful, and soft but now days an invention called 'faux fur' is identical, cheaper and is able to slow the trend in purchasing fur. The fur trade goes on for critically endangered species as well. Only a tiger needs a tiger's fur.
 
     IV. Lack of Public Interest/Inability to Recognize Species.
Have you ever been to a zoo and the person next to you says to their child 'look at that lion!' and they were actually looking at a cheetah? Or perhaps they would be looking at a elephant and thought it was a hippopotamus? Believe it or not it happens a lot more than what most people realize, and truthfully it drives me nuts. How are we ever going to save a species when people cannot tell the difference between animals? It is a matter of attempt, a lot of people use social media, simple as sharing an information post about certain wildlife can spread awareness about any given species relatively quickly.
 
     V. Difficulty to Study Species
This includes a lot of species that exists in rainforests, mountains, and the ocean. So many species will never get discovered before they go extinct. This goes for the smallest species of frog to the largest forest elephant, high elevation spiders to the majestic snow leopard, and the oceans' plankton to giant whales. What makes it so hard to study these species? The area they live in is almost impossible for scientist to study first hand. Think of how dense the forest floor is, how easy it would be to just walk past a small creature and never know they were there, or the large area of the ocean. It almost spells disaster for many species, and they disappear without a trace.
 
* All photos posted to this blog post are my personal photos. Please do not copy them.
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-Zawadi