Wildlife’s contributions to people: A vital yet underappreciated role in conservation

In the ongoing discussion around nature’s contributions to people (NCP), the role of wildlife has often been overlooked. A new study published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity sheds light on this crucial yet underrepresented aspect, highlighting how wildlife directly supports 12 of the 18 NCP categories recognized by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Understanding these contributions is essential for achieving global conservation and biodiversity targets. Historically, conservation efforts have often prioritized ecosystem-level protection over species-specific roles due to the complexity of tracking and managing wildlife contributions. Additionally, economic and policy frameworks have largely focused on immediate human benefits, sidelining the integral roles that wildlife play in maintaining long-term ecological balance.

The importance of wildlife in nature’s contributions to people

The study defines Wildlife’s Contributions to People (WCP) as the diverse ways in which wild species enhance human wellbeing, from providing food and materials to regulating ecosystems and inspiring cultural practices. These contributions can be categorized into three main areas:

1. Material contributions: Wildlife provides essential resources such as food (e.g., fish and bushmeat), medicinal compounds, and materials like fur and leather.
2. Nonmaterial contributions: Cultural and spiritual connections to wildlife shape human identities, traditions, and recreational activities like wildlife tourism and birdwatching.
3. Regulating contributions: Species play key roles in ecosystem stability, such as beavers maintaining wetland habitats, birds dispersing seeds, and predators controlling herbivore populations to prevent overgrazing.

Bridging the gap in conservation policy

Despite their importance, WCP are rarely accounted for in conservation policies, which often focus on habitat preservation rather than species-specific roles due to logistical challenges and political considerations. Managing entire ecosystems is often seen as more feasible and cost-effective than implementing species-specific interventions, which may require tailored conservation strategies and significant resources.

The study points out that many global biodiversity frameworks, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), lack explicit targets that recognize wildlife’s ecosystem functions. This oversight could undermine conservation goals, leading to the loss of ecological interactions critical to both people and the environment.

Challenges and knowledge gaps

The report identifies key challenges in integrating WCP into conservation strategies:

• Taxonomic and geographic biases: Most research focuses on large, charismatic species in high-income countries, while smaller and less-studied species remain underrepresented.
• Lack of data and monitoring tools: Current conservation models often neglect species abundance and functional roles, relying instead on habitat extent as a proxy for ecosystem health.
• Human-wildlife conflicts: Negative perceptions of certain species, such as wolves and sea otters, complicate conservation efforts despite their vital ecosystem functions. Wolves are often viewed as threats to livestock and game populations, leading to conflicts with ranchers and hunters. Similarly, sea otters, which play a crucial role in maintaining kelp forests, are sometimes perceived negatively by fisheries due to their consumption of commercially valuable shellfish. These conflicts highlight the challenge of balancing ecological benefits with human economic interests.

Towards a more inclusive conservation strategy

To fully leverage WCP in conservation decision-making, the study calls for:

• Improved wildlife monitoring through satellite imagery, acoustic sensors, and citizen science initiatives.
• Holistic conservation approaches that recognize wildlife as integral to ecosystem services.
• Greater inclusion of Indigenous and local knowledge systems, which offer valuable insights into sustainable human-wildlife relationships. Indigenous practices, such as rotational hunting, controlled burns, and species-specific conservation rituals, have been shown to support biodiversity while maintaining ecosystem balance. For example, in Australia, Aboriginal fire management techniques help prevent large-scale wildfires while promoting the growth of native vegetation, benefiting both wildlife and local communities.

Wildlife plays an indispensable role in sustaining ecosystems and human well-being, yet these contributions remain undervalued in policy and practice. Recognizing and integrating WCP into conservation efforts can help bridge the gap between biodiversity protection and sustainable development, ensuring a more resilient future for both nature and people.

This groundbreaking research underscores the need for a paradigm shift in conservation—one that acknowledges wildlife not just as a part of nature, but as active contributors to the well-being of people and societies worldwide. By incorporating WCP into conservation policies, we can build more effective strategies that safeguard biodiversity while enhancing the essential benefits that nature provides.