My target article for this assignment is entitled, ‘Living with lions.' It was written by David Quammen for the National Geographic magazine. The article talks about the conservation of Lions. It discusses the steadily reducing number of lions in their natural habitat over time, and the increasing human-animal conflicts reported (Quammen, 2017). The article suggests that for this trend to be reversed, conservation efforts should focus on the areas where the lion population is still high such as the Serengeti, Selous, Ruaha-Rungwa, Okavango and the Greater Limpopo ecosystems which account for over half of the total lion population (Quammen, 2017). Fencing off these areas is another suggestion that has been put forward. However, other conservationists disagree with the fencing of an idea, saying that connectedness among habitat patches is of utmost importance.
Trophy hunting and poaching have been mentioned as a cause of the declining lion population both in the wild and in private ranches. The article further mentions that lion conservation should be a concern across the globe (Quammen, 2017). The inclusion of local communities such as the Maasai in lion conservation is another strategy. This is because the local communities are the ones who live with the lions on a daily basis and are the ones who are most affected by human-wildlife conflicts. Furthermore, they have been living in the same neighborhood with the lions for centuries. The article concludes by talking about how a program called Lion Guardians in Kenya has successfully recruited young Maasai warriors to serve as lion protectors (Quammen, 2017).
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This article is relevant to this course because technology and information resources were used to research it. The writer refers to research compiled by various scientists from Panthera, Duke University, and the National Geographic Society's Big Cats Initiative. The article also quotes research by experts such Craig Packer. Furthermore, the author writes in a clear and concise manner which is the primary goal for this course. This article shows students how to write biological articles using proper writing techniques.
The relevant biological concept that has been covered majorly in this article is animal conservation. The article talks about how the continually reducing lion population can be mitigated through different scientific approaches. The methods suggested in the article include focusing conservation efforts on areas of high lion populations and involvement of local communities in conservation efforts (Packer, 2015). This course does provide background information that helps in understanding the article and the issues surrounding it. This is because the course has equipped me with knowledge on how to use information resources and technology to research biological concepts.
This article caught my attention because the language used is clear and concise. It is neither too long nor too short and covers the topic conclusively. The writer did his research well and can communicate with his audience apparently since the article does not contain scientific jargon. This article is relatable to my life because it calls upon me as a citizen of the world to take animal conservation seriously. Animal protection is important to me because I believe that we should be able to preserve nature as it is for future generations to enjoy. Conservation is the duty of all humans. The scientific knowledge about conservation of lions that the article discusses affects me as an individual directly. This is because I would like to go on a safari to the parks in Africa with my family in future. If these animals are not conserved, there will not be any lions for us to see them.
Research on lion conservation should be funded by both governmental and private sector institutions. This is because governments develop animal protection laws and government institutions such as schools benefit from the knowledge gained from research. Also, the government benefits from the income generated through tourism (Packer, 2015). The private sector such as the hospitality, travel and tour industry will benefit through the increased number of clients resulting from an increased number of lions as a result of increased conservation efforts.
Research in animal conservation is important because it enables conservationists and animal enthusiasts to come up with better and effective conservation strategies (Redpath, 2015). It also enables conservation enthusiasts and scientists to understand animal behavior and the environment under which a given animal thrives. It is through extensive research that future trends in conservation can be predicted (Redpath, 2015). Furthermore, research in conservation helps scientists and conservationists to understand the causes of a decline in animal populations fully and enables them to craft strategies that can be used to reverse the decline.
Research also helps governments and other organizations & individuals who are involved in conservation to develop their budgets and to determine the budgetary allocations that go into maintenance based on the research results. Finally, conservation research also enables scientists to know which animal species are endangered and which ones are not (Redpath, 2015). This enables conservationists and scientists to focus conservation efforts and time on those species that are endangered.
References
Quammen, D. (2017). Living With Lions . Ngm.nationalgeographic.com . Retrieved 2 October 2017, from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/08/lion-conservation/quammen-text
Packer, C. (2015). Lions in the balance: Man-eaters, manes, and men with guns .
Redpath, S. (2015). Conflicts in conservation . Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
