History of Wildlife Conservation (complete information)

The story of the struggle for wildlife conservation is served decades old. If all started with few foresighted men who understood the role of wild animals in living landscapes and the necessity of preserving the threatened species. Encouraged by the pioneering efforts of these men several national and international organizations were formed for conservation of the most valuable of our natural resources.

The first of such organizations was formed by a group of Omitholoigsts in 1922, the International Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP). The first post-War organization to be formed under the sponsorship of UNESCO was the International Union For Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in 1948.

In 1961 the IUCN formed the first fundraising organization, the International Wildfowl Research Bureau (IWRB). There are several other organizations like the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations the Smithosian Institute and the Conservation Foundation both in Washington DC and the Fauna Preservation Society in London.

The Zoologists Gessellschaft in Frankfurt, West Germany, has raised important funds for conservation, particularly for Africa.

The IUCN though it’s Survival Service Commission (SSQ, is dealing specifically with animals threatened with extinction. Their function is to collect data on endangered species throughout the world and to initiate action to prevent the extinction of these species.

The SSC investigates the status and ecology of a species and advises governments and organizations. Such advice is often continued with direct action financed by WWF. The SSC has long maintained a list of threatened mammals, birds, reptile’s amphibians, fishes etc., called “The Red Data Book.”

This conservation expansion has produced positive results in many parts of the world, Inspite of such efforts, the future remains uncertain for the world’s wildlife. This uncertainty exists and intensifies with the increase in human population, destruction of wildlife habitats and spread of environmental pollution.