Conservation

Biodiversity: the magic of our planet! Biodiversity found on Earth today consists of many millions of distinct biological species, the product of four billion years of evolution. But the word “Biodiversity” itself is actually quite new.  "Biodiversity" was coined as a contraction of "biological diversity" in 1985.

Biodiversity Biological diversity is the resource upon which families, communities, nations and future generations depend. It is the link between all organisms on earth, binding each into an interdependant ecosystem, in which all species have their role. It is the web of life.  The Earth’s natural assets are made up of plants, animals, land, water, the atmosphere AND humans! Together we all form part of the planet’s ecosystems, which means if there is a biodiversity crisis, our health and livelihoods are at risk too. But we are currently  using 25% more natural resources than the planet can sustain.

Biodiversity In 2009, humanity used 40% more resources than nature can regenerate in a year.  This problem - using resources faster than they can regenerate and creating waste such as CO2 faster than it can be absorbed - is called ecological overshoot. We currently maintain this overshoot by liquidating the planet’s natural resources. We can cut trees faster than they re-grow, and catch fish at a rate faster than they repopulate. While this can be done for a short while, overshoot ultimately leads to the depletion of resources on which our economy depends.

Biodiversity What we do know, however, is that the next 30 years are critical. We also know that humans, and our behaviour, have changed the Earth's ecosystems more rapidly and extensively in the past 50 years than in any other period of human history. All in all, the loss of biodiversity is, arguably, the greatest threat to world stability and security today. Globally, we now require the equivalent of 1.4 planets to support our lifestyles.

Why Conservation of Genetic Resources of Livestock is important? The diversity of livestock genetic resources is very wide, both in variety and variability in terms of species, breeds, populations and unique genotypes. This diversity has been recognised as a vital resource for sustenance of mankind. Judicious utilisation and enhancement of the quality of these resources is important to ensure their sustainability to meet future demands.

How much are ecosystem services worth globally? According to IUCN, the World Conservation Union, the monetary value of goods and services provided by ecosystems is estimated to amount to some US$33,000,000,000,000per year. We harvest an estimated 50,000-70,000 plant species for traditional and modern medicine worldwide. About 100 million metric tonnes of aquatic life, including fish, molluscs and crustaceans are taken from the wild every year.

Conservation An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has calculated the percentage of endangered species as 40 percent of all organisms based on the sample of species that have been evaluated through 2006.

Critically endangered species Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations.

IUCN Red List The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List), founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species. A series of Regional Red Lists are produced by countries or organizations, which assess the risk of extinction to species within a political management unit.

Conservation movement The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future. The early conservation movement included fisheries and wildlife management, water,soil conservation and sustainable forestry. The contemporary conservation movement has broadened from the early movement's emphasis on use of sustainable yield of natural resources and preservation of wilderness areas to include preservation of biodiversity.

Conservation movement Some say the conservation movement is part of the broader and more far-reaching environmental movement, while others argue that they differ both in ideology and practice. Chiefly in the United States, conservation is seen as differing from environmentalism in that it aims to preserve natural resources expressly for their continued sustainable use by humans. In other parts of the world conservation is used more broadly to include the setting aside of natural areas and the active protection of wildlife for their inherent value, as much as for any value they may have for humans.

Biodiversity Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions support fewer species. Rapid environmental changes typically cause mass extinctions. One estimate is that less than 1% of the species that have existed on Earth are extant.

ecosystem An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving (abiotic), physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight.

IUCN Red List Endangered species IUCN Red List refers to a specific category of threatened species, and may include critically endangered species. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species uses the term endangered species as a specific category of imperilment, rather than as a general term. Under the IUCN Categories and Criteria, endangered species is between critically endangered and vulnerable. Also critically endangered species may also be counted as endangered species and fill all the criteria.

IUCN Red List Endangered species The more general term used by the IUCN for species at risk of extinction is threatened species, which also includes the less-at-risk category of vulnerable species together with endangered and critically endangered.

Conservation status Internationally, 199 countries have signed an accord agreeing to create Biodiversity Action Plans to protect endangered and other threatened species. In the United States this plan is usually called a species Recovery Plan.

Conservation status Conservation status by risk of extinction Extinct Extinct Extinct in the Wild Threatened Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable At lower risk Conservation Dependent Near Threatened Least Concern

Extinct Extinct: Examples: Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, Javan Tiger, Thylacine, Dodo, Passenger Pigeon, Caribbean Monk Seal, Steller's Sea Cow, Aurochs, Elephant Bird, Moa, Haast's Eagle, Woolly Mammoth, Woolly Rhinoceros, Dusky Seaside Sparrow, Golden Toad,Toolache Wallaby Extinct in the wild: captive individuals survive, but there is no free-living, natural population. Examples: Hawaiian Crow, Wyoming Toad, Spix's Macaw, Socorro Dove, Scimitar Oryx, Catarina Pupfish

Critically endangered Critically endangered: faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future. Examples: Mountain Gorilla, Bactrian Camel, Ethiopian Wolf, Saiga, Takhi, Iberian Lynx, Kakapo, Arakan Forest Turtle, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Javan Rhino, Brazilian Merganser, Axolotl, Leatherback Sea Turtle, Northern White Rhinoceros, Gharial, Vaquita, Philippine Eagle, Brown Spider Monkey,California Condor, Island Fox, Black Rhinoceros, Chinese Alligator, Sumatran Orangutan, Asiatic Cheetah, African Wild Ass, Hawaiian Monk Seal, Mediterranean Monk Seal, Red Wolf, Amur Leopard, Amur tiger

Endangered Endangered: faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future. Examples: Dhole, Blue Whale, Asian Elephant, Giant Panda,Snow Leopard, African Wild Dog, Green Sea Turtle, Malayan Tapir, Tiger, Steller's Sea Lion, Asiatic Lion, Markhor, Bornean Orangutan, Grevy's Zebra, Tasmanian Devil, Japanese Crane, Gorillas, Bonobo, Wild Water Buffalo, African Penguin, Goliath Frog,Lear's Macaw, Rothschild Giraffe, Giant Otter, Pygmy Hippopotamus

Vulnerable Vulnerable: faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term. Examples: African Elephant, Cheetah, Gaur, Lion, Sloth Bear,Dugong, Polar Bear, Indian Rhinoceros, Komodo Dragon, Great White Shark, Hippopotamus, Mandrill, Fossa, Crowned Crane,Clouded Leopard, Sarus Crane, Galapagos Tortoise, Mountain Zebra, Humboldt Penguin, Golden Hamster

Near threatened & Least concern Near threatened: may be considered threatened in the near future. Examples: Blue-billed Duck, Solitary Eagle, American Bison,Jaguar, Leopard, Maned Wolf, Tiger Shark, Southern White Rhinoceros, Okapi, African Grey Parrot, Striped Hyena, Narwhal,Magellanic Penguin Least concern: no immediate threat to the survival of the species. Examples: Common Wood Pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Giraffe,Common Bottlenose Dolphin, California Sea Lion, Brown Bear, Grey Wolf, House Mouse, Scarlet Macaw, Platypus, Bald Eagle, Brown Rat, Cane Toad, Humpback Whale, Emperor Penguin, American Crow, Wolverine, Human[4] Mute Swan, Mallard, Red-tailed Hawk,Indian Peafowl, American Alligator, Southern Elephant Seal, Meerkat

The Malayan Sun Bear is fast becoming an endangered species as poachers hunt these animals for their body parts

A hornbill at the KL Bird Park

Current Status and Future Demand Animal production contributes about 40 per cent of the total value to agriculture globally. Two billion people depend, at least in part, directly upon livestock for their livelihood. The 4,000-5,000 breeds/populations provide a broad variety of meats, milk and eggs, together with a broad range of other goods and services, such as draught, fibre, hides, skin, manure, etc.

Current Status and Future Demand With appropriate management, livestock enable sustainable use of marginal lands for food production, transforming otherwise unusable fibrous material into high quality protein. Human population growth, progressive urbanisation and larger purchasing power of people will increase demand for livestock products.

Current Status and Future Demand Considering future trends in demand and supply of livestock products and services, attention for genetic improvement will be required both for indigenous and exotic breeds. Although, there is a need to utilise between-breed genetic differences through crossbreeding for higher yields, greater emphasis is required on improvement of adapted indigenous breeds/types because of valuable adaptive traits they have developed over long periods of time through natural selection

Technology Assessment Major changes in livestock production have occurred during the past few decades due to introduction of several new technologies, e.g. control of diseases like rinderpest, artificial insemination, embryo transfer, and associated technologies (genomics, cloning and transgenesis). These speed up reproduction, shorten the gene recovery process and enable more efficient genetic improvement.

Technology Assessment Genomics is a discipline in genetics concerning the study of the genomes of organisms. The field includes intensive efforts to determine the entire DNA sequence of organisms and fine-scale genetic mapping efforts. Transgenesis is the process of introducing an exogenous gene – called a transgene– into a living organism so that the organism will exhibit a new property and transmit that property to its offspring. 

Technology Assessment Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects orplants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments (molecular cloning), cells (cell cloning), or organisms. The term also refers to the production of multiple copies of a product such as digital media or software.

Technology Assessment Despite the present low efficiency and high cost of cloning, this technology will have a major impact on the conservation of livestock genetic resources. Once practical sampling protocols are developed for important farm animal species and they become financially viable, the entire improvement and conservation platform will change. It is, therefore, necessary that research in newer biotechnologies is intensified, so that traditional genetic improvement methods like progeny testing and sire/dam selection schemes are bypassed in future.

Strategy for Conservation of Livestock Biodiversity A number of methods have been used for conservation of livestock genetic resources. These include in situ conservation of the breeds/populations, cryopreservation of semen, ova, embryos, skin, blood, DNA fragments, etc. These methods are relevant when the breed is rare or near extinction. In India, the situation is not so acute as to call for large-scale ex situ conservation efforts. What is, however, necessary is technology evaluation and perfection at selected institutions which can be used whenever and wherever required.

Strategy for Conservation of Livestock Biodiversity Initiate programmes to study and identify valuable adaptive traits at all levels (phenotypic, genotypic, DNA/RNA levels) and locate structural genes/QRTs responsible for these traits. Special emphasis should be laid on: resistance to various diseases, resistance to harmful endo- and ectoparasites, tolerance to large fluctuations in quantity and quality of feed, tolerance to non-availability of adequate quantity and quality of drinking water, tolerance to extreme temperature, humidity and other adverse climatic factors, adaptation to low capacity management conditions, ability to survive, regularly reproduce and produce for long periods of time.

Strategy for Conservation of Livestock Biodiversity Cryo-conservation as a means of maintaining breeds, should also be considered where specific animal genetic resources are at risk of loss. One of the most useful aspects of cryo-conservation is its supportive role in genetic upgradation of breeds. A complete description of each breed should be generated on the basis of different profiles including habitat distribution, physical conformation, adaptation, production, reproduction and socioeconomic aspects.

A complete database should be developed on populations of different breeds within each livestock species of the country. The database should also identify factors threatening the extinction of breeds.

The association/society/unit should try to maintain: (i) listing of all animals of each farmer, (ii) birth and death register, (iii) health cover register, (iv) breeding register and (v) monthly milk record register. All adult males not used in breeding should be castrated and for each castration the farmer should receive a reasonable compensation. A district-level monitoring committee, which will provide technical guidance and will involve district animal husbandry officer and all veterinarians in the district should be established. This will meet the WTO requirement for import and export of livestock and its products.

Species Specific Recommendations General There is large genetic diversity in livestock as reflected in important domesticated species and a large number of known and lesser known breeds/strains. It is imperative that extensive surveys be undertaken in the home tracts of the known breeds for their description and evaluation and identifying the need and approach to their conservation and improvement. Where the numbers are extremely small, immediate efforts should be made to conserve those breeds, preferably in situ.

Species-wise recommendations for breeds, which require priority attention for conservation, are as follows: Example Cattle Cattle breeds such as Red Sindhi and Sahiwal which have their breeding tracts in Pakistan and Tharparkar, for which we share the breeding tract with Pakistan, are available with a few institutional herds and private breeders. They should be further improved and conserved. Similar attention should be given to Gir, Kankrej and Ongole breeds of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. These could be utilised in grading up of non-descript cattle under harsh environments.

Lesser known breeds of cattle such as Punganur, Red Kandhari, Vechur, Bhagnari, Deoani, Lohani, Bengal, Chitagang Red, Nepalese Hill, Kachcha Siri, Tarai, Lulu, Sinhala, Umblacherry and Gangateri need to be studied as genetic resource and steps taken for their conservation and improvement. A number of new breeds such as Frieswal, Karan Swiss, Karan Fries, Sunandini are in various stages of development from a crossbred base. Their further improvement and conservation is necessary.

Glossary Sanctuary: a place where injured or unwanted animals are cared for. Ordinance: an authoritative order. Legislation:laws collectively. Hectare: is a unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres (100 m by 100 m).  An arboretum: is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study.