Posted by Urban wildlife has enormously affected by pollutants in the metropolitan region. The impacts of urbanization, the process through which the humans modernized their lifestyles by constructing dense buildings and roads. The effect of this has been a center of study for the department of ecology for decades. As compared to the natural environment, wildlife in urban areas was more threatened.
Urban wildlife Environment
One of the reasons behind these threats is the inclusion of toxicants. These toxicants are nothing but a chemical substance introduced artificially by human activity. These chemical substances are generally harmful or toxic to our health. Some of the examples of pollutants are pesticides, insecticides, contaminants, etc. These pollutants occur in our environment because of many reasons.
One of the reasons behind the existence of these pollutants is construction. Whenever we destroy a building or reconstruct it, the teeny tiny particles of sand or brick or some other material or heavy metal that doesn’t get settled on the ground or flies in the air, this reaches our respiratory system. It profoundly affects our capacity to breathe by polluting the inner body.
These pollutants found more in urban regions than in rural areas. This because of the urban areas exposed to substantial construction activities at a relatively higher rate than the rural ones. The metropolitan areas have to go through the construction of industries, buildings, roads, etc.
While in rural areas, there is no such foundation. Rural areas go through lesser construction, so the pollutants present after the development are relatively high in urban regions than the rural ones. Also, during any festivities or celebrations, people in urban areas burn crackers at a much higher rate than the rural ones. It means that heavy metals such as cadmium, sulfur, lead, etc. contribute to the existing pollutants.
Wildlife Affected To Pollutants
These toxicants present in our environment can harm the reproductive and respiratory systems in animals in an urban area. It also affects the potential of animals. The animals repeatedly exposed to heavy metals. They consume these heavy metals that vastly affect their immune system. Their immunity decreases, which results in them being ill. Also, it becomes a massive task for them to recover from a disease after their immune system becomes weak. Eventually, all this leads to their death if the situations worsen.
A study showed that if amphibian animals exposed to pesticides, a toxicant heavily present in our environment, the amphibian animals attract infection if they come in contact with a worm. It means that the physical presence of pesticides, although not consumed if only the skin of an amphibian animal comes in contact with pesticides, poses a threat to the animals.
Also, these pollutants not only have a drastic effect on animals, but humans also threatened by it. According to a study, 80% of the people exposed to the pollutant level more than recommended by the World Health Organization.
Some species which are better outside the city, they shall be prevented from entering the city. But who lives in our town, we can learn how to make their lives and livelihood much sustainable. An increase in toxicants indicates that we need to reduce the pollutants.
People need to be careful while they omit something in the environment. Like when using a pesticide, we shall keep in mind how it can affect the other animals. To prevent the harm to other animals, we shall avoid using it, or if it is required, we shall use it in a manner that doesn’t affect the other animals residing in the environment.