WILDLIFE FUNDAMENTALS

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‘As humans, we’ve been watching, admiring, studying, cataloging, hunting, and capturing wildlife since time immemorial, and our relationship to all of the species we share this planet with is complicated, to say the least. Some wild animals are seen very differently from the animals we farm for food, and the animals we call our companions, and instead are regarded as symbols of freedom and the natural world. Other wild animals, however, are seen as pests, vermin, or direct threats to human survival. This exclusive Faunalytics Fundamental examines our varying relationships with wildlife in broad strokes, as well as various wildlife issues that have arisen in recent years, based on the best available and current data. 

No matter where you live in the world, wildlife is all around you. There are plenty of wild animals that you probably see day-to-day – birds, urban animals, and common insects – but there are many, many more species that you likely don’t see. Our planet is home to millions of species of different animals, each who contribute to their respective ecosystems and play their respective roles. Truly, the depth and breadth of animal life on Earth are astounding.

Opinions about wildlife vary greatly depending on the species, and the types of questions that are asked. If the question is about a species of “charismatic megafauna” like elephants, you may find the vast majority of people love the species and want to see them survive and thrive; if the question is about an urban “pest” species like raccoons, you may hear much more derogatory opinions. In other words, our opinions largely depend on our context, the context of the questions, and the overall material and cultural relationship we have with wildlife. Below, we explore attitudes and actions towards wildlife in general, as recorded over the course of more than a decade in Faunalytics’ annual Animal Tracker survey. 

It’s important to note that these attitudes aren’t fixed: they’ve changed over time (and will likely change in the future). Because so many of our opinions about wildlife are context-dependent, they will shift as our context does. What this means is that, if we want to protect wildlife, we need to maintain positive relations with them in the eyes of the public. ’ (Source)

Let’s continue - Changes occurring in wildlife

Start at the beginning - What is an ecosystem?