Recent studies have painted a grim picture of life on the only known planet to have ever fostered the same. But the latest study, a major and most comprehensive one to date, by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reveals that the number of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish has fallen incredibly by 52 per cent over the past 40 years (between 1970-2010). One wonders, if the rate of extinction of such species has not gone further up in almost the past two years. There is one animal though lying at the top of the order, man that is, which has proliferated.
Yet signs are quite alarming. The human species along with others lying behind in the pecking order are perhaps facing the gravest threat to their existence in millennia. And the culprit is none other than this super animal. Another earlier study in Science, led by Duke University biologist Stuart Pimm has estimated that the world's plant and animal species are disappearing at a rate of 1,000 to 10,000 times faster than they did before humans showed up on Earth. The paper has been claimed to be 'the most comprehensive attempt yet to calculate a "death rate" for the world's species.
Clearly, the dubious credit goes to the human species which hunts animals either for food or sport, overexploits fish and marine resources, destroys habitats of other species through deforestation and encroachment for agriculture and pollute water and environment for reasons of industrialisation and other uses. Apart from emission of carbon on a daily basis, humans also experiment with atomic or nuclear bombs either underground or in water. Even the peaceful experiment with and expedition of satellites or spacecraft is causing pollution to the outer space. Also debris of abandoned or burnt-up spacecrafts soaring aimlessly has become a cause for serious concern.
Why the mass extinction has speeded up is understandable. Pimm and his colleagues' study measured the death rate roughly at 0.1 out of one (1.0) million species each year before humans started inhabiting the planet. But today the extinction rate has gone up to an estimated '100 to 1,100 extinctions per million species-years'. All because of man-made factors such as deforestation, industrial pollution, encroachment upon animal habitats etc,. No wonder, it has set the alarm bell ringing to the effect that the Earth is about to face a "sixth extinction". The world was fated to undergo earlier five such mass extinctions in history.
Evidently, the WWF report more than confirms the apprehension of Pimm and his colleagues. But how did the scientists involved with the WWF's "Living Planet Index" arrive at the figures that are quite frightening as well as educative? Frightening because, it is a clear indication that the bio-diversity of Nature has been perilously upset. In both studies, the indication is clear that plant species has not suffered any less at the hands of humans. Pimm's report has included both species to calculate the death rate.
Now this is educative enough, too. The human species now know more clearly than before what the impact of the loss of bio-diversity is likely to be. In this respect human compulsion and restrain will count most if they are to secure their future. Their compulsion for foods and a minimum living condition exerts pressure on Nature's resources. But what has hastened the adverse process is a highly unethical and licentious lifestyle fuelled by unbridled consumerism.
People know no limit to indulgence to luxury and sensuality. There is a subtle difference between comfort and lavish luxury. Consumerism has been so unrelenting that it spares nothing on its march. In the United States of America, more than 40 per cent foods go waste. The picture is not much different in other rich countries. Even in poor countries food goes waste mostly because of reasons different from what they are in the rich world. Unscientific harvesting, carrying method and storing are to blame.
These are areas where appropriate measures can be adopted to minimise food loss and ease the pressure off from cropland and forests. Animal conservation, important no doubt, has diverted attention from these background issues. If the world's people opt for simpler lifestyle, they surely stand a greater chance to save the day for themselves. Some tribes living in dense forest do not destroy their environment because they know the value of saving their surroundings.
Sure enough modern man cannot live like bushmen but still they can dispense with a lot they are now unnecessarily habituated with. Only then conservation programmes of forests and animals will be successful. People under the spell of unrestrained consumerism will press for more space and luxury ultimately leading to destruction of plant and animal species. Ivory and rhino horns are collected for aphrodisiac potion at fabulous prices. What a shame for mankind! There are other such examples of similar stories in which animal and plant lives are sacrificed for human caprices.
However all is not lost. Some species are increasing at a modest rate and others not so modest a rate. The problem here is that the average loss of animal species has shot up from its previous rate of 28 per cent over a period of 30 years. Now people know which species of animals are on the brink of extinction and where. Conservation is doing an excellent job by saving a few from total extinction. Conservationists are using innovative methods such as stitching of habitat fragments of forests and this they do by involving local people. In countries like Bangladesh where land is scarce, though, more innovative approaches will be needed to heal the wound in Nature and environment.
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