Daily Times

The Future of Mankind in Space.

Planet earth is in terrible trouble. Human societies are under urgent threat from loss of Earth’s natural life. Natural resources have shrunk, compelling to look for migration to other plants, or manage to use resources from other plants, but of course this is not fashionable. There is severe paucity of mineral resources and earth’s reserves are highly alarming.

Wild life is known as the best renewable source of energy as almost every part of animals from hoof to horn is used. However, the scenario is totally faded as the biomass of wild mammals has fallen by 82%, natural ecosystems have lost about half their area and a million species are at risk of extinction, all largely as a result of human actions, said a study, compiled over three years by more than 450 scientists and diplomats.

Human activity is having a devastating impact on our planet. But while most people understand how pollution, resource depletion and loss of biodiversity are pushing the natural resources to the brink, the reality can seem distant and difficult to quantify. Many of us find it hard to grasp the real pace of decline happening in the natural world. Sir David Attenborough has witnessed it first hand and calls humans a plague on earth.

One method to safeguard the biodiversity is that endangered animals can be housed in wildlife parks. Also captive breeding programs can be used to increase the numbers; they help educate people about conservation and how we can all help protect endangered species, they also help the general public to form an emotional connection to these endangered species

At the time of creation, Pakistan was known as Hunter’s Paradise. But in the last 70 years many valuable species have become extinct and quite a few are endangered.

There are probably quite a few endangered species. Indus Dolphin, Pala Fish, Blue whale and black rhino just a few but there are many more that don’t get so much attention.

Lots of species are going extinct every single day. Extinction is part of evolution after all, but one factor is human activity that has removed living habitats and hunting too has perished precious species. In fact, because of humans, the rate of extinction is estimated to be one thousand to ten thousand times higher than what would occur naturally. This is the highest rate since the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

There is a dire need to take quick steps towards species conservation, which is the act of protecting species against becoming endangered. It is all about preserving biodiversity. We must realise that every organism, no matter how big or small, plays some role required to keep the ecosystem worth living. Insects, for example, act as pollinators for plants.

The problem is that the key to having a healthy population is genetic variation. Within a population, you need a large variety of different characteristics so that species contract. And avoid becoming extinct.

It is our ethical duty to help preserve all the species on the globe and this can be done by carrying out conservation. One method to safeguard the biodiversity is that endangered animals can be housed in wildlife parks. Also captive breeding programs can be used to increase the numbers; they help educate people about conservation and how we can all help protect endangered species, they also help the general public to form an emotional connection to these endangered species. However there are disadvantages to animals in captivity since they do not lead a normal life and there is risk of inbreeding.

The way of protecting animals in their natural habitat is by creating protected areas like national parks. Trees cannot be cut down, roads and houses can’t be built in declared national parks, and hunting of the animals may be declared illegal. Range officers may be employed to make sure this is enforced. An amazing seventy per cent of plant species are endangered so it’s vital that we help protect them too. To recap an endangered species is one that is at risk from extinction the main causes of which is human activities.

Sandwiched between Iran, India and Afghanistan, Pakistan is a mountainous country bordered by both the Himalaya and Hindu Kush mountain ranges as well as the Arabian Sea. Rich in ecosystem diversity, Pakistan is home to several rare and endangered animals, with over 90 species of mammals, birds and reptiles categorised as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable and near the threat of extinction. Such wildlife is threatened not only by human overpopulation and habitat loss but also by the very landscape of the country. Physical barriers like the Himalayas cause small populations of animals to become isolated. Such animals often evolve into a separate species found nowhere else and are, therefore, naturally endangered.

There are reasons behind animal extinction in Pakistan. Depletion of habitat due to livestock grazing and human activities are the major threats to this species. An endangered species is a type of organism that is threatened by extinction. Species become endangered for two main reasons: loss of habitat and loss of genetic variation. A loss of habitat can happen naturally. Dinosaurs, for instance, lost their habitat about 65 million years ago.

Conservation of planet earth is the only option. Otherwise we’ll be left with no option but to go to the moon.

The writer is Chairman, Department of Parasitology, Sindh Agriculture University