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There’s not much megafauna left in the world. The Asians
have very little. Its tigers, its three species of rhino and the
Asian elephant barely exist in the wild and are generally
deemed to be ‘critically endangered’. And present-day being killed for meat, for trophies such as horns and
North America never had much megafauna, certainly tusks, and for body parts used in Asian medicine.”
nothing to rival the variety and drama of Africa’s wildlife.
As Walt Kelly’s comic character, Pogo, famously said
The report comes from a global survey by the Climate 50 years ago, “We have found the enemy. He is us!”
Action Network (CAN) set up last century by many
universities and institutions. CAN represents an interesting The findings reported in CAN’s Climate News Network
alignment of bodies that share information on various are bleak. Of 362 mammals, including sharks and
aspects of environment, and closely watches strategies rays larger than 100kg, and birds and reptiles larger
affecting international, regional and national climate than 40kg, there are at least 200 species that are in
issues. The various institutions “place a high priority on decline and more than 150 could become extinct.
both a healthy environment and development that meets
the needs of the present without compromising the “Our results suggest we’re in the process of slaying
ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. and consuming megafauna to the point of extinction,”
says Ripple. “Through the utilisation of various
CAN’s latest report notes, “The world’s biggest body parts, purveyors of traditional Asian medicine
animals – the largest birds, the bigger mammals also exert heavy tolls on the largest species. In the
and even reptiles, sharks and amphibians – are in future, 70% of megafauna will experience further
increasing danger of extinction.” Why? The report is population declines and 60% of the larger species
unequivocal – hunting, it says, is mainly to blame. could either become extinct or be very rare.”

Climate change, habitat loss and pollution are compounding They found “to their surprise” that hunting (both for
the problems but the major threat comes from human food and for trophies) was “the biggest danger for
beings who have emerged as the planet’s “super-predators”. 98% of the species for which they could find data.”

Professor William Ripple, an ecologist at the Oregon “Preserving the remaining megafauna is going to be difficult
State University School of Forestry in the US, says, “The and complicated,” says Ripple. “There will be economic
larger animals are being hunted to death. They are arguments against it as well as cultural and social obstacles.”

DALEY VAN DE SANDE – UNSPLASH

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