The relations between humans and wildlife have remained intriguing ever since the pre-historic time. In the stone age, cavemen had to survive on wild plants and animals as they were yet to learn the art of cultivation. Even in modern time when cross breeding and genetic modification technologies are applied to grow high-yielding and pest-resistant crops, humans still largely depend on foods---animal protein in particular --- from wild sources.
Hunting wild animals for sport may be a thing of the past but poaching is there. If humans did initially try to develop their civilisation exclusively away from wildlife, they soon discovered the art of domestication of wild animals. With the advancement of human civilisation, mass extermination of wild animals went on until there has been the realisation of late that biodiversity thus periled in effect endangers man's own existence.
The World Wildlife Day on March 3 is indeed a late addition to the calendar of the numerous occasions set aside by the global community for celebration or observance throughout the year. It has been observed since 2013. However, dedicated conservationists did not wait for this late UN recognition and their efforts went into the making of the International Union for the Protection of Nature as early as 1948 until 1956 which came to be known as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Between 1990 and 2008, it came to be known as World Conservation Union.
The only known planet to have hosted living organisms, Earth has already lost some of the flora and fauna species forever. More are facing threat of extinction---some of them immediately. The IUCN has been keeping a tab on all living species including the endangered ones and trying to save those from disappearance from the face of the Earth with help from local conservationists who involve local communities under what is called inclusive conservation. To keep with the spirit, this year's theme, "Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation" appears to be quite appropriate.
The fact that overexploitation of the natural world ---whether it be living species including the tiniest of plant or animal life --- imperils the biodiversity hardly makes sense to all human beings. Legal or illegal hunting, fishing or exploitation of forest resources constitute economy of enormous sizes. If safari park is a roundabout way of conservation of animals contributing to national exchequers of a number of countries, poachers are after hunting those for smuggling of their organs which is a clandestine trade valued at billions of dollars.
The love-hate relations between humans and animals of the past taken the form of act of conservation bodies like the IUCN are responsible for on the one hand, and on the other, poaching and illegal fishing. If raising domesticated animals and birds are mainly for food and income, pet animals are a hobby highlighting in cases deep emotional attachment for some. Strangely enough, the range of pet animals has been wider than people are accustomed to thinking of the conventional types. From iguana to python, to crocodile to even lions ---all form a bond with some weird and extraordinary people.
However, all cannot afford the luxury of keeping unique and ferocious birds and animals as pets. In the middle of last month the country's largest livestock show was held in the open space close to the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre. There a pair of exotic pigeons was priced at Tk 50,000-100,000 and a Bengal cat at Tk 150,000-200,000. About 200 pet traders and breeders showcased their precious breeds. Even crocodiles are commercially bred in farms. So these are unconventional commerce involving an economy of scale. Here commerce and conservation have been conveniently synthesised. Not a bad idea when the habitats of the rare animals and birds are fast shrinking on account of aggressive human encroachment.
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