In this article we discuss two similar but slightly different terms: conservation and preservation of wildlife. These terms have a different meaning for wildlife than when used in the context of conservation and preservation of buildings.
Both these terms, conservation and preservation are often used when talking of wildlife, but they have slightly different meanings:
Conservation is where humans have a direct and active role to play to keep the balance between wildlife and the environment.
It involves the following:
- Knowing the carrying capacity of a particular area (capacity of the area to support all kinds of life as per the resources available) where the wildlife is residing.
- Conservation focuses on the intelligent use of natural resources, limiting the number of animals as per the carrying capacity of an area and monitoring them so that they can be useful to present and future generations.
- For example, conservation may allow controlled hunting to keep the animal population under control.
Preservation, on the other hand, refers to the idea that wildlife should be left alone and not be exploited or used at all.
This includes the following:
- Preservation is not about managing wildlife in an area intelligently, but simply preserving it and let nature do the managing.
- Unlike conservation, carrying capacity of an area is not relevant to preservation because the area is to be left untouched, so its carrying capacity would not be changed.
- Preservation can be achieved by creation of sanctuaries, wildlife reserves and national parks.
To conclude, both conservation and preservation are useful and good for wildlife, but each of these should be used intelligently and differently for different animal species.
Siva Prasad Bose 