Animal conservation is a hot topic these days. There’s no doubt about it, environmental and human influences have had a horrific impact on the world’s wildlife population.
And if we don’t start to conserve wildlife now, it may soon be too late.
It seems crazy to even have to explain that convserving animal species should matter.
We asked our favorite Zooligists to provide us the key reasons that animal populations have a very positive impact on all of our lives.
Healthy Ecosystems See Plant And Animal Species Cooperate
Conserving wildlife isn’t just about making sure future generations can see endangered species in the wild.
It’s about environmental protection and the natural habitat depends on all sorts of interactions between plants and animals.
Both farmed plants and wild plants require bees and insects to help pollinate and fertilize them, for example, and without this interaction? We’d all starve to death.
This makes animal conservation important for a variety of reasons and many of them are quite selfish.
In 2021, they learned about the way other species work with their ecology and again, it just shows how the natural world is marvelous and in urgent need of our care.
Wildlife Conservation Has Medicinal Value
Sure, it’s plants that tend to offer the most health benefits but there are some incredible species of animal out there that provide useful medicinal properties too and it’s not just traditional medicines that they can be used for.
Cobra’s venom is good for curing leprosy, lobster proteins are anti-fungal, etc. Preserved natural habitats ensure that we can continue to see how species interact with our own bodies and perhaps, there are cures for all our ills out there among the animal population? We’ll never know if they all disappear.
Wild Animals Are Nice To Look At
We think it’s important to fight climate change and the impact it has on animals but it’s also important for people to understand that they will benefit directly from these actions.
One of the easiest ways to see that this is true – is that it’s fun and pleasing to see animals in the wild.
There is also some research that suggests that if we see animals in our everyday lives, we become less stressed and are less likely to suffer from stress-related health conditions!
Animal Conservation Is Fun
We should also note that not only is wildlife conservation important but it’s fun too.
Working outdoors to help other species feels good, it also helps to keep you fit.
And if you can’t get out and about to help, even watching a documentary or two about animal welfare can help (see our list of recommended vegan documentaries for some ideas).
Animal Conservation Preserves Heritage And Culture
Human development is inextricably linked to the animals around us. If we do not preserve these animals?
Then we lose a huge chunk of our own culture. From the elephants of Thailand, Myanmar, and India to the cows of North America and Europe, our way of life has a debt to the animals that we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by.
Wild Animals Promote Tourism
There are also plenty of countries where their tourist earnings are dependent on wildlife.
You rarely hear of people visiting Namibia or The Galapagos Islands for a suntan do you? Instead, they go for a safari or to see the natural world as Darwin saw it.
If you ever needed an economic reason to preserve animals then this is a good place to start.
Protecting Wildlife Is Protecting Biodiversity
If you want a healthy planet, you need biodiversity. Animal conservation is essential.
When you cull too many species from the face of the Earth, others die off because the relationships they had with those species are gone and they cannot survive without them.
And this effect builds up steam with each species that you lose. Eventually, without enough animal diversity, everything would die off even the plants.
Wildlife Conservation Is Good For The Overall Ecology
The ecology of the world needs balance. That means plants, humans, and animals all living sustainably together.
Without this? The natural environment begins to suffer and if we fail to promote biodiversity, the entire ecosystem will eventually collapse.
Animal Conservation Is Good Food Security
Sure, we’re committed vegans here but there is no doubt that having access to animals as natural resources helps to promote food security overall.
Learning To Protect Wildlife Offers Educational Opportunities
As children learn to apply wildlife conservation principles in their lives, they grow and learn.
Nature’s processes can teach human beings a lot if we’re prepared to listen.
If want a habitable planet then we need to learn to share it with other animals and from big cats to birds, different species all have a role to play in making the world a better place.
We need to bring an end to excessive hunting and practices that are bringing species close to extinction and to look to provide clean air and enough food for everything in the ecosystem to thrive.
We think that everyone should take action to protect Mother Earth and we’ve got 52 actions that you can take today to protect and honor Mother Earth (Gaia).