The Importance of Wildlife Conservation

Wildlife conservation is at the heart of what we do here at Wirral Fox Rescue, and we’re proud to be able to help in the ways that we can. Although protecting the natural world – and all of its inhabitants – is a massive, far-reaching, and complicated endeavour, even the smallest of acts can make a huge difference.

But why, exactly, is wildlife conservation in the UK so essential? We thought we’d take the time to discuss a little bit about why wildlife conservation is so important, not just to us, but to everyone!

Protecting Wildlife

Many species of wildlife, both great and small, are under constant threat. Shockingly, the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Living Planet Report warned that, in the past 50 years, animal populations have declined by an average of almost 70%.

All across the world, including the UK, ecosystems are being eradicated at a terrifying rate. Both climate change and human interference are robbing animals of their home, and many species simply cannot survive on their own outside of their natural habitats. Without conservation, their numbers can easily dwindle to the point of extinction, never to be seen again.

This is heartbreaking in itself, but it also has a huge impact on life as we know it. This is because wildlife is essential in maintaining the ecological balance of nature; if, for instance, a species of carnivore dies, it leads to an increase in the number of herbivores, which then leads to a decrease in forest vegetation, which in turn forces creatures to leave the forests and raid agricultural crops. When the circle of life loses a link, things start to fall apart.

As more and more species face the threat of extinction everyday, it becomes increasingly important to do whatever we can to preserve our local species – for our sake as well as theirs.

Protecting the Earth

We’re all aware of global warming, and how it threatens to destroy life as we know it. We’re also aware of the various causes of climate change, one of the big ones being the destruction of natural environments, such as forests. Indeed, deforestation most famously occurs in places like the Amazon, Canada, and Indonesia – but it’s also happening right here in the UK.

According to the Woodland Trust, there are at least 800 woods that are currently under threat. And sadly, the rate at which we are planting new woods seems to be perilously low.

Potentially, we are in a state of deforestation, which is catastrophic not just for countless species of wildlife, but also for the very air we breath.

Trees are natural guardians of the earth, storing huge amounts of carbon and converting it into healthy, breathable oxygen. They regulate weather systems, reduce flood risks, and help to maintain the balance of local ecosystems. But it’s not just trees we’re concerned about; every natural environment, from rivers, to fields, to coasts, is essential to life as we know it.

To protect wildlife is also to protect the earth; you can’t have one without the other.

Protecting Our Health

Conservation work doesn’t just protect the animals and the earth – it also has an impact on human health. In terms of disease, medicine, and general well-being, the health of humans and animals are closely intertwined.

Diseases that are naturally transmitted between animals and humans, known as zoonoses, have been rife throughout history. And as we have all recently learned in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic, such infections can have a devastating impact on public health and the economy. Most often, they occur as a result of the commercialisation of wild animals.

When it comes to wildlife, it can be argued that commercialisation is the opposite of conservation. Generally speaking, we run a pretty tight ship here in the UK – you’d find it tricky to sell bat soup at the local market. However, we are guilty of destroying natural habitats, which forces wild animals to migrate to human spaces, resulting in the spreading of disease and infection. A famous example of this is Avian influenza, more commonly known as bird flu.

This planet doesn’t belong to us alone. We share it with the countless and colourful varieties of the natural world, and if we continue to destroy the sanctuaries of the wilds, it can only end in one way: disaster.

So let’s continue to conservate, and help out however we can. From planting hundreds of trees, to saving the life of a tiny hedgehog – it’s all connected, all necessary.