‘Wildlife under Threat’
According to experts, the human-driven and natural loss of trees—deforestation—largely affects wildlife, ecosystems, weather patterns, and even the climate. Environmentalists say that the forests cover 31% of the land area on the planet. They help people thrive and survive by, for example, purifying water and air and providing people with jobs; some 13.2 million people across the world have a job in the forest sector and another 41 million have a job that is related to the sector. Many animals also rely on forests. Forests are home to more than three-quarters of the world’s life on land.
“Wild animals need suitable habitat: areas where they are safe, secure, and comfortable. They use these areas for resting, sleeping, feeding, breeding, hiding, and escaping predators. But when we disrupt these areas, animals lose access to important resources and become exposed to new threats,” says, ace wildlife photographer and avid trekker, Muhammad Yaqoob Baba.
“It can cause them to completely lose their homes or be forced out of their natural range. It can change existing habitats and remove sources of shelter, water, and food, such as fruit-bearing trees.”