Today is World Wildlife Day! Wildlife has always had a special spot in my heart.
Understanding what position our wildlife is in
Africa is well known for its abundant wildlife, however, the animal’s lifestyle is faced with challenges every day, such as poaching, which makes it important for us to take action. Africa is only a small part of the wildlife we need to conserve. Additionally, places like the Great Barrier Reef and the Amazon Rainforest, are struggling too. Therefore, we need to work together to achieve the goal of conserving our wildlife for a greener home for all creatures to live in.
Unfortunately, there has been a 68% drop in global population sizes of amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles between 1970 and 2016. Reports stress that the loss of habitats and species pose as much of a threat to life on Earth as climate change. For biodiversity is not only vital for a flourishing natural world. Its deterioration also threatens the livelihoods, economies, food security and health of the world’s 8 billion people.
It has become so important for us as humans to take action and fight for a greener environment. We need to be able to appreciate the beauty of wildlife and conserve the homes of these animals.
Kalahari
I took a trip with my family to the Kalahari in February 2021. Here I was able to look into the lives of wildlife within this game reserve. We spent two nights deep in the reserve, no signs of civilization but the one other family that were staying in !Xaus lodges too, as well as the staff. We stayed in lodges that overlooked a salt pan that spread for kilometers. We were lucky enough to experience herds of Red Hartebeest and Ostrich walking along the pan to drink the water from the man made watering whole. Having nothing but the wooden balustrade separate us and the wildlife of the Kalahari was quite the experience. Knowing that I could wake up in the morning and a lion could be staring at me through the balcony window, was exhilarating. It didn’t happen, but it could have!
One morning we took a walk with our guide. Exploring the wildlife grounds by foot enabled us to trace Cheetah footprints and discover a local fruit that the animals eat that has water to quench their thirst. This experience made me appreciate the beauty of wildlife all over again, I felt connected to the life these animals lived.
It is important for us to understand what we will be missing from our lives if our wildlife goes extinct. What the aftermath would be that will affect us and our daily lives. If you are able to, here are a couple charities that conserve our wildlife: WCS and WWF
Happy World Wildlife Day everyone,
Kerry