Huge Decline In Wildlife Worldwide

How much of it was in 3rd world countries? What can be done to stop growth in 3rd world countries when we haven't done anything in industrialized countries? I am an environmentalist (and about 80% of my TV watching is nature/science) but I think it is awfully hypocritical to stop the advancement of civilization where we do not live. Yeah, we can preach birth control and offer condoms, but the impact of such efforts won't be enough to change the course of events. And having traveled to the amazon, it isn't like TV. Unlike central america, I can say the harshness of life in the true unspoiled wilderness has little appeal to most americans. It is fun to talk about from behind the couch but living it is a whole different matter.
 
I grew up in rural Cooke County and can never remember seeing a local wild turkey and spotting a deer was rare. Now you see them all the time. My dad grew up in rural West Virginia and big game was hard to find and small game not very numerous as depression families with lots of mouths to feed hunted everything edible. Now you can see deer and bear from the road.

I realize those are small pieces of a big world. But as developing countries enjoy improved economies, there's certainly precedent for a wildlife rebound.
 
Crockett,

I know of what you speak but I can also tell you that I spend a lot of time on Texas rivers and the environmental degradation they have seen during my lifetime is tremendous.
 
Evidently not much in Monahans!
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I think it can be a big help if the local population can see a tangible (economic) benefit in preserving wildlife/wilderness in their area. I remember on Ken Burn's national park series, the creation of many of the parks was vigorously resisted by local people at first, but years later most agree it to be one of the best things to happen in their area (Grand Teton is a good example).
I lived in Nepal for a year and the trekking / adventure sports industry is a huge income producer; many people have jobs as guides / porters / restaraunt & hotel operrators, etc. In fairness, the areas that are not popular for these activities have a harsh living standard, as Crockett described.
I got into flyfishing about 4 years ago and there seem to be a lot of fishermen now interested in catching native trout, rather than just the largest stocked rainbows they can hook. There is thus a real effort to restore species such as Greenback, Westslope, and Rio Grande Cutthroat to their native waters.
 
I always chuckle about the term Grand Tetons now that a few people have told me why the French trappers used that term.
 
Sad but true. Some scientists consider it the 6th major extinction, like when the asteroid killed the dinosaurs, etc.

The Link

30,000 species a year going bye bye is a lot.

Brazil was talking at one point about building a highway all the way across the Amazon. Can you imagine what that would do? Africa has similar projects that cut off the great seasonal migrations of wildlife.

It's going to take a zombie apocalypse of humans to save every other species on earth.
 
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