Biodiversity Hotspots and Environmental Ethics

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Magnitude of Biodiversity hotspots loss, the endangered and extinct species
Native population ethical considerations
Other challenges existing biodiversity hotspots
Action plan for solving problems facing biodiversity hotspots
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Environmentists describe biodiversity as the disparity of biological organisms in their make ups, behaviors and their relationships, connections and interdependencies within the ecosystem. The value of biodiversity to human beings manifests is through the provision of basic essentials in life such as water, food air as well as the decomposition of wastes. Biodiversity hotspots therefore are regions on the earth’s surface characterized with numerous endemic species of biological organisms. Biodiversity hotspots usually tend to occur in areas where humans have significant interest; hence many of the endemic species in these hotspots face a great threat for their survival, as many human activities are prevalent in these areas.

The Brazil’s Atlantic Rain Forest in South America is a perfect example of a biodiversity hotspot, being a home for more than 20,000 species of plants, over 1,350 vertebrates, and insect species which count to several millions. It is believed that, almost a half of these species are found nowhere else on the planet earth. The rainforests forests in Central Africa and the Serengeti region in Tanzania are other biodiversity hotspots harboring numerous endemic species. This research will attempt to explore the environmental ethics arising in the biodiversity hotspot region covering the Congo rainforest and the Serengeti national park in Central Africa (Travel Africa, n.d).

Environmental ethics have not impacted much on saving the loss of biodiversity hotspots.

Magnitude of Biodiversity hotspots loss, the endangered and extinct species

The magnitude of the problem of losing biodiversity hotspots is too great, to the extend of extinction of various species from the face of the earth. Environmental philosophers are widely campaigning for environmental ethics among all the stakeholders around biodiversity hotspots to encompass environmental policies, geared towards emphasizing the value of conserving these hotspots and the environment in general. Conflicts between communities and others, people and wild animals and even wild species with their counterparts over natural resources are on the rise as a result of climate changes emanating from destruction of biodiversity hotspots. For instance the magnitude of the problem is so great in the jungles along the Congo River basin in central Africa (Newton, Dillingham, & Choly 2005, pg 99).

Spinney (1998, p.18) observed that hunting and trading of Apes meat within the forest was so intense that if no conservation measures were to be taken abruptly, in fifty years time the population of these apes especially the Chimpanzees would totally vanish. The intensive illegal commercial hunting of the primates for food and export is intense in the tropical forests in Africa, Asia and Latin America, despite attempts of protecting the endangered species (Spinney, 1998 p.18). The eminent problem posed to biodiversity hotspots is the threat to the existence of various species as a result of environmental degradation, destruction of habitats and changes in climate due to exploitative and destructive human activities (Newton et al, 2005, pg.101).

Activities such as land clearing for agricultural or settlement purposes, extensive logging in the forests among others are great threats to survival of species in the biodiversity hotspots. For instance the several governments in Central Africa contract foreign logging companies to log in the rainforests in an attempt to settle their debts as well as gaining economic income. The loggers use illegal hunter to clear inaccessible parts of the forests to create logging roads, making the hunters access wildlife easily and use the loggers Lorries and boats to transport the carcasses to the towns for trade. Maximum destruction to the wildlife is further escalated by logging companies issuing rifles to loggers for their protection. These riffles are then illegally used to hunt for food. The Wildlife Conservation Society noted that in the Central African Forests, hunting for wild meat was specifically by communities along logging routes was higher three to six times compared to other regions in the forests. In the jungles of the Congo forests, the Gorillas, Chimpanzees and the pigmy Chimpanzees (Bonobos) are the threatened and endangered species facing extinction (Newton et al, 2005, p.98).

Poaching activities in secluded national parks and game reserves in the Serengeti region remains a great problem to the continuity of biodiversity hotspots. The Serengeti region in Tanzania, Africa is among the world’s twenty-four biodiversity hotspots. The region is a home to over a quarter million gazelles, hundred thousand of zebras, thousands of prides of lions, cheetahs, leopards and millions of the famous wild beasts (Travel Africa, n.d). The area extends to the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, characterized by the Coastal and Eastern Arc forests, which hosts the greatest figures of endemic species per acre (Pence, n.d).

Mbololo forest is one of the habitats of the remaining population of the African Violets plant species. The African violet is the most endangered tree species in the regional forests. The local community around the Mbololo forest area is quite poor and generally lives on the fortune of the forest. Activities such firewood collection (the only source of energy supply) and illegal logging by the locals on the forest, posses a great threat for the survival of the plant species (Pence, n.d).

Back on the plains of the Serengeti national park, the survival of elephant and rhino species are highly endangered. The quest for the lucrative elephant ivory, rhinoceros among other wild animal products accounts for poaching activities in the parks. Anitei (2007) noted that 20,000 to 30,000 wild animals lose their live to poachers annually in the Serengeti National park, majority being elephants and rhinos. The black Rhino is among the species which is now virtually extinct due to extensive poaching for its horns.

Native population ethical considerations

Ethics refers to what a given society perceives as good or bad, right or wrong. Environmental ethics therefore shines light to the perception of a given society or community in matters regarding environmental issues such as conservation and protection of various species within their environmental surrounding. The benefits they get from the biodiversity hotspots usually shape their environmental ethics greatly. Policies on environmental ethics should offer guidance to the local population on how to address and diagnose environmental problems and challenges (Des Jardines, 2001, pg.261). Native communities existing within or around biodiversity hotspots, have different ethical policies and consideration, which describes their approach to various issues regarding their co-existence and interdependence with other elements within the eco-system.

The native communities residing within the Central African forests specifically along the Congo River basin considers hunting for food, a justified ethical practice. According to Newton et al (2005, pg 98), monkeys and apes are source of food, and the hunters maintain that they are just animals as other in the wild. The pygmies in the Congo forest hunt and eat anything which roams within the forest, and have no fear whatsoever on threats which they pose to various species such as the endangered apes. For them it is ethically justifiable to hunt for food without evaluating the dangers they may expose to the biodiversity ecosystem surrounding them. Hunting and bush meat is a source of economic income to the native forest communities and they are not alarmed with the danger they might encounter on diminishing various species. Within the equatorial Africa, bushmeat accounts for a major economic activity and the surrounding communities don’t perceive hunting for bushmeat a wrong practice (Newton et al, 2005, pg.101).

Various governments within the central African equatorial forests, which advocated for foreign companies to log in the forests as an effort to settle their debts, showed a little concern to environmental degradation and destruction of the forests. The local population seemed to back the governments move to allow foreign loggers log in the forests, since their collaborations would guarantee them easier access to hunt and trade in game meat. The natives totally have no ethical considerations for environmental conservation and protection (Newton et al, 2005, pg.99).

In the Serengeti region, the local Maasai community never understood the value of the surrounding biodiversity, since they were not allowed to access the park, hence had no positive ethical considerations for the wildlife around them. They would occasionally collaborate with poachers to kill animals such as elephants and rhinos for their ivory and horns respectively. They would also kill animals which would sneak outside the parks (Des Jardines, 2001, pg.260).

Other challenges existing biodiversity hotspots

Conflicts and attacks among the Chimpanzees were prevalent in the forests. Smaller groups of the animals would be attacked and killed by others for no apparent reason, which was an alarming threat to survival continuation of the Chimpanzees, as their reproduction was too slow (Newton et al, 2005, pg.104).

Armed conflicts are common between forest dwellers and intruders. These conflicts as a result of competition over diminishing resources pose a great threat not only to the residents, but also to the environment. Illegal logging and mining (diamonds), political instability in the region and acute poverty escalates the conflicts. Illegal exploitation of the resources is a great challenge for the survival of the hotspot (Mutombo, n.d).

The environmental ethics of the surrounding population are totally undermined as the locals rarely enjoy the benefits of the biodiversity hot spot. The conflicts also undermine conservation measures as conservation activists and authorities are highly threatened.

In addition to poaching in the parks, Anitei (2007) noted that drought and animal diseases were great challenges posing extinction threats to wildlife in the Serengeti region. Conflicts between wild animals and surrounding communities were a challenge within the Serengeti region. Animals sneaking from parks, invading and destroying people’s crops in farms were a cause of conflicts between the animals, park managements and the local people (Anitei 2007).

Action plan for solving problems facing biodiversity hotspots

Remedies to biodiversity problems lies deeply on instilling sound and ethical environmental policies in all stakeholders involved in the biodiversity hot spots. The action plan would involve measures which would change people’s perspective on the environment, to realize the massive benefits they can get from conserving and protecting the environment, and specifically the biodiversity hotspots.

The plan would involve; communicating with all parties, the benefits they would get from protecting the hotspots, while pointing out clearly the threats accompanying the destruction of the environment. Integrating traditional ways of conflict resolution into environmental conservation practices. The plan would emphasize on environmental friendly practices such as the practice of agro forestry, to revert the reliance of game meat for food. Encouraging dialogue and negotiation among communities conflicting over resources, while taking into account the needs of all communities involved, would be a measure to undertake in the plan.

The plan would also involve encouragement of governmental and non governmental organizations to campaign for environmental conservation, and educating the communities living around National parks and game reserves on how they can maintain harmonious relationships with the animal. A measure like restricting grazing on parks would greatly reduce conflicts related to food competition. The plan would also ensure that government and conservation organizations crack down on operator of illegal businesses dealing with illegal products such as game meat, ivory and timber from illegal logging.

Conclusion

The loss of biodiversity hotspots and various species in this spots has been escalated by human activities which are environmentally unethical. Extensive illegal logging and hunting are among the exploitative practices, threatening the survival biodiversity hotspots. These practices are prevalent in the central African equatorial forests and the Serengeti region. The native population in these regions lack ethical focus on conserving these spots, as they can not envision the long term benefit they can get from the protection and conservation of this hotspot. Challenges such as armed conflicts between forest dwellers and intruders, conflicts between animals an others, droughts and diseases are posing a great threat to biodiversity hotspots. An implementation of an action plan encompassing ethical environmental policies could be a great boost in offering lasting solution to the problem.

References

Anitei, S. (2007). Why Do We Bring the Species to Extinction? How we decrease the planet’s biodiversity. Web.

Des Jardines, (2001). Environmental Ethics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Newton, H., L., Dillingham, K. and Choly, J. (2005). Watersheds: Ten Cases in Environmental Ethics (4^th Ed).London: Cengage Learning.

Mutombo, J., R. (n.d). Forests and Conflicts the Causes of Violent Conflicts in Forest Regions. ETFRN NEWS 43/44. Web.

Pence, V. (n.d). Helping the people protect the African violet habitats in Africa. Web.

Spinney, L. (1998). Monkey Business. New Scientist, 12(1), 1-20.

Travel Africa. (n.d). Web.

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