BIODIVERSITY LOSS AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION: CAUSES, ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES AND STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT

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Abstract

Biodiversity represents the variety and variability of living organisms occurring at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. Animals constitute a major component of global biodiversity and perform essential ecological functions as predators, prey, pollinators, seed dispersers, decomposers, ecosystem engineers, and regulators of food webs. Despite its fundamental ecological and socioeconomic importance, biodiversity is declining as a consequence of habitat destruction, fragmentation, climate change, pollution, invasive species, overexploitation, illegal wildlife trade, and other anthropogenic pressures. Wildlife populations are particularly vulnerable because rapid environmental changes can alter reproductive success, migration, feeding behaviour, population structure, and species interactions. The present paper reviews the major causes and consequences of biodiversity loss from a zoological perspective and examines contemporary approaches to wildlife conservation. Particular attention is given to habitat degradation, climate change, human-wildlife conflict, invasive species, pollution, and unsustainable exploitation. The paper further examines in-situ and ex-situ conservation, protected areas, wildlife corridors, ecological restoration, captive breeding, molecular approaches, community participation, and the role of national and international conservation policies. The study is based primarily on a critical review and synthesis of published scientific literature, conservation reports, books, and institutional documents. The analysis indicates that species conservation cannot be achieved solely by protecting individual threatened animals. Effective conservation requires the preservation of viable populations, genetic diversity, ecological interactions, habitat connectivity, and ecosystem processes. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provides an important international framework, including targets concerning ecosystem restoration and the conservation of terrestrial, inland-water, coastal, and marine areas by 2030. Acombination of ecological science, modern technology, effective legislation, habitat restoration, long-term monitoring, and meaningful participation of local communities is necessary to reduce biodiversity loss. Zoological research therefore has a central role in understanding population decline and developing scientifically informed strategies for maintaining wildlife and ecosystem resilience.

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