The theme for World Wildlife Day 2023 is -- Partnerships for wildlife conservation -- with the goal of honouring those who are making a difference in protecting the world's flora and fauna.
Meaning of World Wildlife Day
World Wildlife Day (WWD) is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that their conservation provides to people. At the same time, the day reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime and the human-induced reduction of species, which have wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts. World Wildlife Day will be celebrated in 2023 under the theme "Partnerships for wildlife conservation", honouring the people who are making a difference.
Partnerships operate on a large scale or involve a few children or a school. The UN celebrates a special partnership: The 50th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
This Convention is an international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species.
HISTORY
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 20 December 2013 in its 68th session proclaimed 3 March as the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973. It is observed as UN World Wildlife Day to raise awareness and celebrate the world's wild animals and plants.
The CITES Secretariat was designated as the facilitator of the observance of Wildlife Day on the UN calendar by the resolution of UNGA. According to the CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero Wildlife, namely the species of both wild animals and plants for the purpose of World Wildlife Day, is an integral part of the world’s biological diversity which has the greatest resonance with the general public.
TYPES OF WILDLIFE
1. Bengal Tiger, Bandhavgarh, Madhya Pradesh
Bandhavgarh is not the most accessible national park in India, but it does have the best chances of seeing a tiger in the wild.
2 ONE Honrned RHINOCEROS, Kaziranga, Assam
Assam, in India's northeast region, offers plenty of appeal for wildlife lovers. It has the largest population of the prehistoric-looking one-horned rhinoceros in the world.
3 ASIATIC LION, Gir.Gujrat
Gir Wildlife Sanctuary has the last wild Asiatic lions in the world. This breed of lion, which could once be found as far as Syria to the west and Bihar (in India) to the east, was almost hunted to extinction in the 1870s.
4. WILD ASS, Little Rann of Kutchh, Gujrat
Gujarat offers more still for wildlife enthusiasts. The harsh and unforgiving landscape of the Little Rann of Kutch, consisting mostly of dry thorny scrub, is home to the last of the Indian wild ass. There are around 2,000 - 3,000 of these notoriously untamable creatures within the 5,000 square kilometres of Wild Ass Sanctuary.
5. SALTWATER CROCODILE, Bhitarkanika, Odisha
One of Odisha's top attractions, the mangroves of Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary are home to India's largest population of endangered Indian saltwater crocodiles.
“Be kind to every kind, not just mankind”- Anthony Douglas Williams
Humans are considered to be the greatest threat to the Earth. They are destroying the planet and have killed 80% of all wild mammals, plants and marine life. Habitat destruction is the direct loss of Indian wildlife by the removal of trees, polluting the rivers, leading the human-wildlife conflict along with a list of major environmental issues. Leading biologists, climate scientists, and environmental watchdogs all agree that humans’ own impact on the environment is without a doubt the number one cause of species loss.
THREATS TO WILDLIFE BY HUMANS:
1. Danger of Development: Our rapid expansion and even faster use of resources have destroyed or disconnected vital wildlife habitats. Most of the species that call these ecosystems home are not adaptable to the human landscape that is left them. If our current development and population growth continue unchecked, the serious loss of animal species will continue for decades to come unless we do something now to address the human threat.
2. Illegal Wildlife Trade: The illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest criminal industry in the world, after drugs, arms, and human trafficking.
3. Pollution: The enormous amount of microplastic in our waterbodies is extremely harmful to the species. Eight hundred million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean each year, washing up on previously pristine parts of the planet and is a threat to the survival of more than 600 species of marine wildlife.
4. Habitat Destruction: The fires that swept across the Amazon and Australia rightly drew attention to just how fragile the most important ecosystems are. Half of the world’s original forests are gone, and what remains is being cut down ten times faster than it can be replaced.
5. Climate Change: From more regular and fiercer storms to more prolonged and more intense droughts, the impact of climate change is rising ocean temperatures and shifting vegetation zones and forcing species to adapt to new conditions. Human activities have actively resulted in climate change.
WAYS TO PROTECT THE RICH WILDLIFE AROUND US:
1. Saving Habitat: This includes taking care of wetlands, forests, prairies, rivers and other places where wildlife thrives. Habitats are places where living organisms can grow and reproduce in suitable conditions without getting disturbed. Therefore, it is important to prevent water pollution as well as environmental pollution and avoid cutting trees.
2. Resorting to Eco-friendly Products: Several products can make farming easy, such as fertilizers and pesticides, but all of these are not environment-friendly. Hence, wildlife can get significantly affected by these products. Animals can consume the sprayed plants and polluted water. This will ultimately prove deadly to them when they enter the food cycle. Therefore it is important to resort to eco-friendly products that have no such adverse effects.
3. Feeding Animals and Birds: In certain instances, local wildlife doesn't have proper access to food and water, especially in certain seasons. Therefore, people can provide food and water to the birds and wild animals in their backyards. However, they must avoid dangerous animals such as coyotes or raccoons since once they get dependent on humans, they can bring more deadly predators.
4. Planting Trees: Wildlife conservation and tree planting are always interdependent. Plants are often a major source of food for wildlife, and hence planting and preserving this can be very beneficial. Moreover, flowering plants attract insects and wild animals, resulting in pollination and an increase in vegetation.
5. Restoring Wildlife Habitat: Nowadays, habitat destruction is one of the major causes of wildlife extinction. It is not only a threat to wildlife species but also the vegetation and humans. Therefore, humans must take care of all the other living organisms and create harmony between different habitats.
Wildlife-rich places:
The world's wildlife is an incredible place to explore.
Here is the list of countries having the best Wildlife:
1) Brazil: best place to see animals in Brazil is its Amazon jungle.
Brazil has some of the world's top species. Around 10,000 species & subspecies of birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles are present there.
2) South Africa: The country has more than 1,000 species of animals, birds, insects, and plants. Some are African elephants, rhinos, zebras, lions, cheetahs, hippos etc. It has Kruger National Park one of the largest Game Reserve In South Africa
3) India: From grassland to lakes and rivers, India has a remarkable array of animals and plants. Many bird and animal species can be found mainly in two biodiversity zones that are:
-the Great Himalayas
-the Western Ghats
India has some amazing places to witness Wildlife Kaziranga National Park situated in the northeastern state of Assam, Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal etc.
4) Australia: More than 80% of the plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs found in Australia are very exclusive native Australian wildlife, such as kangaroos, dingos, wallabies, and wombats are well known.
5) Sri Lanka: This country is a haven for wildlife lovers. The nation is considered one of the top five biodiversity hotspots found in the world.
Countries with the least variety of wildlife are:
● The Megafauna Conservation Index is a list of 152 countries ranked based on the conservation efforts towards biodiversity, wildlife etc. Countries of the Middle East rank low in this Index. The Middle East also remains one of world’s the top hubs for animal trafficking.
● Uruguay also ranks low in the index despite having animal welfare legislation.
● Namibia: A country at the forefront of wildlife conservation but still populations of cheetahs, black rhinos, lions, zebras, and other native wildlife have been restored to the world’s richest dry land.
● Kenya is home to amazing wildlife, but some of the animals like buffalo, and rhinoceros (white and black), both are endangered species.
● Landmines throughout Iraq have killed many domestic and wild animals. Forests and drained wetlands were burned to reveal enemy hideouts, thereby killing animals and destroying their habitat in the process.
● Countries like the UAE, Iran, Kuwait, and Qatar are hot spots for mammal trafficking. According to the study animals like tiger cubs, and lorises are being trafficked in these countries.
● Some other countries that have low rank in the megafauna conservation index are San Marino, United Arab Emirates, Syria, and Libya.
Written by Vidushi, Ishika & Divya Hans
References:-
https://www.tripsavvy.com/top-wildlife-sanctuaries-in-india-1539880
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