Biodiversity is the variety of living forms present in various ecosystems. It includes life forms from all sources including land, air and water. Biodiversity is declining at a very fast rate around the world. Conservation means protecting nature for the spiritual gifts it provides and protecting sacred places in the local landscape. There are two methods of biodiversity conservation:
(i) In-situ biodiversity conservation- In-situ conservation means the conservation of species within their natural habitats. This technique is the most appropriate technique for biodiversity conservation. In this strategy, an area with high biodiversity (area in which a large number of plants and animals are present) is found. After that this high biodiversity area is covered in the form of natural park/ sanctuary/biosphere reserve etc. In this way, biodiversity can be conserved from human activities in their natural habitat. Examples- Hotspots, Biosphere reserves, National parks, Wildlife sanctuaries, sacred groves, etc.
(ii) Ex-situ biodiversity conservation- Ex-situ conservation involves the conservation of biological diversity outside of their natural habitats. In this method, threatened species are taken out from their natural habitat and placed in the special setting where they can be protected and given special care. It involves conservation of genetic resources, as well as wild and cultivated species. Ex-situ biodiversity conservation strategy also plays an important role in recovery programmes for endangered species. Examples: Botanical garden, Zoological parks, Wildlife safari parks, tissue culture, seed bank, gene bank, aquaria, home gardens, etc.
We can conserve animals and save them from extinction by following the given steps:
1) The first step to protecting endangered species is learning about how interesting and important they are.
2) The best way to protect endangered species is to protect the places where they live. Getting involved by volunteering at the local natural habitat or wildlife refuge is the next step.
3) Reduce use of water at home and garden so that animals that live in or near water can have a better chance of survival.
4) Many herbicides and pesticides take a long time to degrade and build up in the soils or throughout the food chain. Some groups of animals are particularly vulnerable to these chemical pollutants and suffer greatly as a result of the high levels of herbicides and pesticides in their habitat.
5) Shooting, trapping, or forcing a threatened or endangered animal into captivity is also illegal and can lead to their extinction. Don’t participate in such activities, and report it as soon as you see it.