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The relationship between humans and wildlife has been a
complex one since the beginning of time. The human race has evolved,
developed technologies, and created civilizations that have led to an
unsustainable impact on wildlife. The ever-increasing needs and greed of
humans have caused indiscriminate intrusion into the natural world, causing
immeasurable harm to the animals, plants, and ecosystems that depend on it.
Humans have developed a ruthless attitude towards animals, leading to the
felling of trees, building of dams, and the destruction of forests. With
thousands of men working on dam sites and constant vehicular traffic,
animals are forced to retreat further and further into the fast-receding
forests. Rapid industrialization, pollution, and the use of pesticides and
insecticides have also made the struggle for survival a losing battle for a
large number of birds and animals. Nuclear explosions and even holiday
picnickers are driving the fish towards extinction, and the lack of oxygen
in coastal waters drives them to their death.
The desire to capture animals and keep them in captivity is not wrong, but
the unimaginative methods used are harmful. For lack of space, animals are
kept in small, uniform cages, without bothering to cater to their individual
needs and living habits. They are thus frustrated, unhappy, and at times
unduly ferocious.
Animals and birds are necessary for humans to retain balance in the world of
nature. They also keep a part of humans alive, for the tenderness which
birds and animals arouse is perhaps the most unselfish emotion. Medical and
scientific experiments have used animals to benefit mankind, and
sociologists and psychologists depend on studies of animal behavior to
understand human behavior.
Preservation of wildlife means preventing the extinction of species no
matter how ungainly or unattractive they may be and cultivating living
conditions which may be conducive to their growth and happiness. The first
step towards this is limiting human greed. Instead of felling trees, man
should grow them. Pollution should be controlled, and the disposal of solid
wastes into sea waters should be checked and controlled. Nuclear experiments
should be conducted on a very limited scale and only in selected sites.
In many countries, the old-fashioned concept of a zoo has changed, and more
imagination is brought into play. As far as possible, conditions most
conducive to their growth are created, and there is an attempt to cater to
the varying individual needs of the animals. Animals need their natural
habitat to flourish. Wide spaces, ponds, and pools provide them this. More
and more specialized zoos are coming into being. Animals that cannot
procreate in captivity are gradually allowed to return to the wild.
The worst enemy of animals is man with his superior intelligence and ability
to use machines and medicines to help him. Man's hunting instinct and his
desire to exercise power have led him into this inconsiderate attitude
towards animals. Countries have attempted to curb this by proclaiming
various birds and animals either as national animals or as protected animals
and by imposing a ban on the shooting of these animals. However, more than
these, what is required is a check on man's attitude towards animals. Man
thinks of them as raw material for consumption and not as fellow beings.
What has helped preserve nature in the past was the attitude of divinity
towards them. Today if we cannot have a divine feeling, we can at least
cultivate an anthropomorphic attitude.
The survival of wildlife is essential for the survival of our planet. Humans
must change their attitudes towards wildlife and cultivate a sustainable
relationship with them. |
