Humans do not think often enough about the impact they have on the planet. A recent study in Britain served as a wake-up call for many who had not realized how drastically our behaviors can affect wildlife. Many of Britain’s wild animals are at high risk of extinction, and it’s time to do something about it.
A recent report from The Mammal Society analyzed over 1.5 million animal sightings across Britain and brought shocking news: one in five local mammals was at high risk of extinction within a decade. Additionally, populations are falling overall. Many species are at risk, but a few are thriving in this critical time.
The Scottish wildcat and black rat are the two species most at risk. There is only one greater mouse-eared bat left in the region, so that species will be gone soon. Something needs to change if Britain doesn’t want to see more wildlife disappear.
The cause of these population declines is human development. Roads, buildings, and intensive farming are destroying natural areas, which often serve as habitats for the wild animals. According to University of Sussex Professor Fiona Matthews, Chair of The Mammal Society, invasive species and diseases also have a strong impact on these species.
Even the most numerous wildlife species are out-populated by humans and livestock. The field vole is currently the most populous wild species, with a population of 60 million. For comparison, the population of people in Britain is 64 million. Their livestock include 44 million sheep and cattle and 181 million chickens. Clearly, people are dominating the land.
The wildcats are now a critically endangered species; they live on at a population of only 200. The rabbits are declining, partly because of an outbreak of a viral hemorrhagic disease that originally developed in China. Their number is still 36 million, so as long as the disease is controlled the population should be okay.
The last greater mouse-eared bat is hibernating somewhere in West Sussex, and experts are losing hope that they can save the species. “Unless we can find some lady friends for him soon [from continental Europe], he is going to be extinct,” Mathews told The Guardian. “He’s 16 now, so he’s getting on a bit. They can live up to the mid-20s.”
This information is alarming, and many believe it is up to humans to change their harmful practices before even more species go extinct. Professor Matthews is one such advocate, and she hopes this information will be enough to finally wake people up.
“We have almost been sleepwalking,” she stated. “This is happening on our own doorstep, so it falls upon all of us to try and do what we can to ensure that our threatened species do not go the way of the lynx, wolf and elk and disappear from our shores forever.”
Of course, animal populations rise and fall over time. But these rapid declines can be linked to human activity. In particular, pesticides and the use of roads have killed of a great number of animals. The hedgehog population is currently two-thirds lower than it was in 1995. The report cites a small number of causes: loss of hedgerows, pesticides killing their insect food, road deaths and potentially more predation from badgers.
Despite all the bad news, some species are doing quite well. Carnivores who are no longer hunted by humans are thriving. Pole cats, wide roaming deer, and otters are all growing in number. Unfortunately, some of these species still have such a small population that even after the increase they can still be considered endangered.
Some political groups are seeking ways to restore power to the wildlife. Natural England, the governmental adviser for the natural environment in England, is trying to bring back 20 species of birds, insects, and other animals. The organization also offers public information on environmental planning, land management, and other ways to responsibly care for the environment.
For Matthews, the issue requires a more legislative solution. A 2016 Nature Report found that Britain was “among the most nature-depleted countries in the world.” To combat this problem, Matthews suggests ending farm subsidies that simply reward the area of land and focusing greater attention on wild animals who live outside nature reserves.
“We need to stop thinking of wildlife as being something that happens somewhere else and we just put a [protected area] ring around it.”
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