Wildlife conservation is a practice in which people attempt to protect endangered plant and animal species, along with their habitats. The goal of wildlife conservation is to ensure that nature will be around for future generations to enjoy, and to recognize the importance of wildlife and wilderness lands to humans.

Many nations have government agencies dedicated to wildlife conservation which help to implement policies designed to protect wildlife, and numerous independent nonprofit organizations also promote various wildlife conservation causes.

Contents 1 Threats to Wildlife 1.1 Offshore Drilling 1.2 Climate Change 1.3 Habitat Loss 1.4 Disease 1.5 Invasive Species 1.6 Overexploitation 2 Types of Man-Made Threats 2.1 Habitat Destruction & Fragmentation 2.2 Introduction of Exotic Species 2.3 Pollution 2.4 Hunting, Poaching, Illegal Trade of Endangered Species 2.5 Accidental Deaths 3 Wildlife Management 4 Things You Can Do To Protect Wildlife 4.1 Protect Wildlife Habitat 4.2 Join a Conservation Organization 4.3 Reduce the Threat of Invasive Species 4.4 Recycle and Reduce Energy and Goods Consumption 4.5 Minimize use of Herbicides and Pesticides 4.6 Place Decals on Windows to Deter Bird Collisions 4.7 Slow Down When Driving 4.8 Voice Your Concerns and Get Involved Locally 4.9 Change Your Career 4.10 Share Your Enthusiasm for Wildlife and Nature 5 Ways to Conserve Wild Life 5.1 Habitat Management 5.2 Habitat creation 5.3 Breeding in Captivity 5.4 Reintroduction 5.5 Awareness and Mass Education 5.6 People Participation and Movement 5.7 Protection by Law 6 Links

[edit] Threats to Wildlife

• From global warming to habitat destruction, disease and invasive species, our nation’s wildlife is under threat. Defenders is on the forefront of these issues, providing expertise to lawmakers and wildlife managers on ways to ensure our nation’s wildlife survive and thrive.

[edit] Offshore Drilling

• Offshore oil and gas drilling is a risky and dangerous operation, posing serious threats to marine wildlife, birds and coastal habitats.

[edit] Climate Change

• Climate change is one of the gravest threats facing wildlife today, and plants and animals around the country are in real danger of falling victim because their habitat is changing too rapidly for them to keep up.

[edit] Habitat Loss

• Habitat loss is the leading threat to biodiversity in the U.S. It is more prevalent and affects more species than disease, pesticides, invasives or global warming.

[edit] Disease

• Many disease threats to birds, mammals, amphibians and fish originated in other parts of the world. These pose a particular threat because most native species lack an immune response.

[edit] Invasive Species

• Invasive species are plants, animals, and microbes that are out of place and out of control. Nearly half of the species currently listed under the Endangered Species Act are threatened by invasive species.

[edit] Overexploitation

• Overexploitation of natural resources, through unsustainable hunting, fishing, or extraction of raw material, can result in the extinction of species and the loss of genetic diversity within others.

[edit] Types of Man-Made Threats

Since man is indeed part of nature, man-made threats are merely a subset of natural threats. But unlike other natural threats, man-made threats are threats that we can prevent by changing our behavior.

[edit] Habitat Destruction & Fragmentation

• The destruction or splitting up of once continuous habitat to enable humans to use the land for agriculture, development of towns and cities, construction of dams, or other purposes.

[edit] Introduction of Exotic Species

• Accidental and intentional introduction of non-native species into regions never before occupied by the species have resulted in the extinctio of numerous endemic species.

[edit] Pollution

• Pollutants (pesticides, herbicides, etc.) released into the environment are ingested by a wide variety of organisms.

[edit] Hunting, Poaching, Illegal Trade of Endangered Species

• Some endangered species are targeted for their value on illegal markets.

[edit] Accidental Deaths

• Car hits, window collisions (birds), collissions with ships (whales).

[edit] Wildlife Management

• Harmonizing, developing or updating wildlife legislation, regulations, policies, guidelines and administrative procedures

• Improving understanding of the economic dimensions and social relevance of wildlife trade in the region in order to generate incentives that can drive the activity towards sustainability;

• Developing management plans for selected species or groups of species, and setting in place wildlife populations monitoring mechanisms (including monitoring by local communities) in order to guide manager's decisions;

• Developing and testing models for community-based co-management of wildlife and their ecosystems

[edit] Things You Can Do To Protect Wildlife

It is often easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of species loss and habitat destruction. The problem is large and complex—it's common for individuals to feel powerless. Yet, everything we do is vitally important. We may only do a little bit in the grand scheme of things, but together our seemingly small actions add up to a lot.

[edit] Protect Wildlife Habitat

• Perhaps the greatest threat that faces many species is the widespread destruction of habitat. Deforestation, farming, over-grazing and development all result in irreversible changes—soil compaction, erosion, desertification, and alteration of local climatic conditions. Such land use practices vastly alter or even eliminate wildlife habitat. By protecting habitat, entire communities of animals can be protected together and when communities are kept intact, less conservation intervention is required to ensure species survival. Parks, reserves, and other protected lands are too often the only habitats left untouched by habitat destruction.

[edit] Join a Conservation Organization

• There is a wide range of conservation organizations working to protect endangered animals and habitats. Different organizations have different objectives—some work to protect a small plot of land or to protect whales, others focus on establishing good environmental policies in local government. If you have a specific area of interest, you can often find an organization that is working to protect the species or habitats you're most concerned about. By joining in, you can support well-organized, ongoing efforts to protect species and habitats.

[edit] Reduce the Threat of Invasive Species

• The spread of non-native species has greatly impacted native populations around the world. Invasive species compete with native species for resources and habitat. They can even prey on native species directly, forcing native species towards extinction. Another way to reduce the threat of invasive species is to incorporate native plants in your garden and to welcome native animals into your yard.

[edit] Recycle and Reduce Energy and Goods Consumption

• By recycling and (reusing as much as we can, we reduce our impact on the environment. Additionally, by reducing the energy we consume, we take a little of the burden off our natural resources. You can also reduce your carbon footprint by first calculating your current carbon footprint and then reduce the amount of carbon you consume.

[edit] Minimize use of Herbicides and Pesticides

• Herbicides and pesticide may keep yards looking nice but they are in fact hazardous pollutants that affect wildlife at many levels. Many herbicides and pesticides take a long time to degrade and build up in the soils or throughout the food chain. Some groups of animals such as amphibians are particularly vulnerable to these chemical pollutants and suffer greatly as a result of the high levels of herbicides and pesticides in their habitat.

[edit] Place Decals on Windows to Deter Bird Collisions

• You can help reduce the number of collisions simply by placing decals on the windows in your home and office. Other simple steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of collisions are to re-evaluate feeder placement, draw shades and curtains during brightest parts of day, install tilted window glass, and put screens on outside of windows.

[edit] Slow Down When Driving

• Many native animals have to live in developed areas and this means they must navigate a landscape full of human hazards. One of the biggest obstacles to wildlife living in developed areas is that created by roads. Roads divide habitat and present a constant hazard to any animal attempting to cross from one side to the other. So when you're out and about, slow down and keep an eye out for wildlife.

[edit] Voice Your Concerns and Get Involved Locally

• By letting local and national governments know that you're concerned about endangered species, you're increasing the likelihood that someone will do something about it.

[edit] Change Your Career

• This may sound extreme but for some people getting involved in the protection of threatened and endangered animals is so important that a career change that enables you to work directly with species of concern may be the most rewarding way of doing so.

[edit] Share Your Enthusiasm for Wildlife and Nature

• Encourage others to learn about nature, enjoy watching wildlife, and value protecting habitats and species with which we share this planet.

[edit] Ways to Conserve Wild Life

• Wild Life is integral to the ecosystem. They help in maintain the prey-predator relationship and hence maintain the balance in the food web. However, there are many endangered species of wildlife today than ever before, thanks to practices like poaching, destruction of habitats because of deforestation and other such practices.

[edit] Habitat Management

• Habitat Management refers to taking care of the habitat of the wildlife, so that they feel at [home], safe and secure. Study of different kind of habitats, devising ways of protecting it, its preservation and regular checking of these habitats through census and statistical data help a great deal in working out a plan of action in managing a habitat and the species therein.

[edit] Habitat creation

• National Parks, Biosphere Reserves, zoological parks and botanical gardens and sanctuaries work as protected areas for wild life. They help in conserving the wild life in their wild state. Besides being the protected habitats of various species, they are also good places to take a tour of.

[edit] Breeding in Captivity

• Breeding in captivity has helped many wild life species in their effort to survive. The national parks and other such protected areas help in the breeding process of many wild lives. The European Bison that was breeding in the National Parks of Poland to managed to survive under care and a protected environment.

[edit] Reintroduction

• Several endangered species were allowed to reproduce and flourish in places and habitats that suited them. These places were similar to their original habitats. Later, they were introduced to protected areas such as parks and reserves and also to their original habitats after they were found fit to fight for survival.

[edit] Awareness and Mass Education

Awareness about wild life is essential for protecting and appreciating them. People can be encouraged and educated to participate in the preservation processes in a number of ways.

Some of the ways of increasing awareness levels on wild life are:

• Celebrating different days dedicated to different species of wildlife.
• Bringing publicity to this issue through media, film shows, talks, discussions and documentaries. Arranging tours for people and children to seminars and lectures and to areas with wild life such as the local zoo
• Making children participate through nature clubs in educational institutions and at community level.
• Publishing and promoting books and journals on wild life and
• Supporting the establishment of natural history museums.

[edit] People Participation and Movement

• People backed movements have a deep impact on policies and bringing about the necessary changes. There have been many such movements in the history that have supported wild life and helped prevent their destruction.

[edit] Protection by Law

• We should be aware, read, talk and participate in wild life protection measures as much as we can as we live in inter-dependence with them in various ecosystems and wild life is also a heritage that deserves to be protected like other heritages of the world.

[edit] Links

http://www.defenders.org/programs_and_policy/wildlife_conservation/threats/index.php

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-wildlife-conservation.htm

http://www.wwfguianas.org/our_work/wildlife_conservation/

http://www.earthconservation.net/ways-to-conserve-wild-life.html

http://animals.about.com/od/wildlifeconservation/tp/helping_endangered_species.htm