Operation of quarries, construction of dams, roads, and railway lines, setting up of factories, and other development activities impacting wildlife.
Human activity has contributed to general wildlife all over the world. From wood cutting to watering our lawns, what we do today impacts the environment in a way that cannot be reversed. Let’s explore four main areas where human activity affects wildlife: issues such as deforestation, water and air pollution, climatic change, and measures that are being taken to preserve the environment.
Habitat(wildlife) Destruction
Habitat destruction is among the ways in which human activity affects wildlife with a lot of intensity. Thus, as humans build more cities, crop fields, and other structures, natural living spaces are threatened in various ways.
Timber and agriculture have also led to deforestation; wetlands are developed for human uses; and grasslands are developed to allow for urban construction. This form of destruction results in the exclusion of important areas required for habitation for many organisms, which in the process are compelled to shift, transform, or go extinct.
In the absence of their respective areas, animals have problems getting their source of food, shelter, or mating partners, hence the decrease in the number of a given species.
Pollution
Pollution is another infamous threat to wildlife that is increased by human activities such as the burning of unwanted materials and the dumping of waste. Pollutants from agricultural products and waste, industries, plastics, and other effluents affect water, soil, and air.
These pollutants can affect animals, leading to their deaths; they affect the reproductive system; and they affect ecosystems. For instance, fish and other marine species end up feeding on plastic trash, which in turn results in injuries, starvation, and eventual death. Air pollution can also impose on bird species something they are unable to do well, and that is breathe properly.
Climate Change
Global warming: many activities carried out by people, for instance, the use of fossil fuels and cutting down trees, are causing climate change. Increases in temperature, variations in rainfall, and increased intense and extreme precipitation are having adverse impacts on ecosystems and the species that exist in these ecosystems.
A common aspect that has been manifested in ecosystems is the ability of many animals to adapt to the changes that are happening at such a fast rate. For example, a polar bear feeds on seals, and its hunting grounds are sea ice; however, due to global warming, the area of ice is reducing, thus the survival of the polar bear is in danger.
Other species are therefore compelled to move to new locations; this results in conflict with other species and human beings.
Conservation Efforts
It must be noted that, although there are various detrimental effects of human intervention, there are also considerable attempts being made to protect wildlife and their habitats.
A lot of extensive effort has been made by various governments, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in an attempt to conserve various species and also to reverse the effects of various ailments that are affecting our ecosystem.
This is especially true because safe havens for animals like national parks and wildlife reserves exist to conserve and protect animals. Conservation involves issues such as the production of endangered species, the treatment of injured animals, and rewilding programs.
Informative programs on television, billboards, and other dispensed messages are also important to create a sense of ownership and people’s willingness to protect wildlife and the environment.
Reference from:
https://afriumbrella.com/category/environment/
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