A Plan to Protect Equusg grevi
Introduction
The Equus grevi is an endangered species. It is endangered because of destruction of its natural habitat; the semi arid grasslands common in Kenyan national parks and Ethiopian game reserves. The source of this destruction is competition for limited natural resources in form of pasture and water points by neighboring communities. The paper proposes to stop this destruction by finding alternative settlement for neighboring communities.
Background information
The Equus grevi lives in semi arid grasslands which are in Kenya and Ethiopia. This species of zebra can be differentiated from several others by looking at the pattern of the stripes on their hide. The pattern and intensity of the stripes varies from species to species. A zebra can be differentiated from another one by looking at the pattern of stripping e.g. Equus has less continuous patterns. Equus grevi lives in the semi arid grasslands of Kenyan national parks or Ethiopian game reseraves. These places are also used by neighboring pastoral communities which graze their domestic animals in the wildlife reserved places (Groves, 2005).
The Equus grevi is classified as an endangered species and it has 10% probability of extinction within 100 years (Prothero & Schoch, 2003). The zebra belong to the Class-Mammalia, Order-Perissodactyla, Family-Equidae, and Genus-Equus. The three existing species include Equus Zebra, Equus Quagga and Equus Grevyi. Of these Equus grevi is in need of most help.
Habitat requirement
All plans aimed at enhancing the survival of the Equus grevi are important. Since Equus grevi is vulnerable to this level, the zoo should research about the genetic make up of the Equus grevi and, if possible, interbred the species to come up with offspring which are more resilient and adapt to the existing ecological conditions. This work should be supplemented by preserving the habitat, which is less expensive if the concerned governments can find alternative land for communities which live near the habitats of Equus grevi (Estes, 1991).
The Wild Life Service organization is carrying out awareness campaigns on how to educate neighboring communities on how they can use wild resources in a sustainable manner. Through these campaigns, communities are educated about the need to preserve natural habitats because they are home for endangered species like the Equus grevi.
Conservation of natural habitats is costly especially in recent times in Kenya and Ethiopia when they are experiencing population explosion. The best solution for conservation has been finding alternative land for communities around the parks and reserves. This has been a challenge because it is hard to find alternative land and even if it is found people are never willing to leave their ancestral land (McClintock, 1976).
It is estimated that the cost of keeping a single zebra in a zoo for a year is about $100,000. These figures do not include the cost of research on their survival. If the proposal of this paper is implemented; preserving the natural habitat of Equus grevi, concerned organizations would save hundreds of thousands of dollars used in research as well keeping Equus grevi in zoos.
Conclusion
Protecting the natural habitat is the best method of Equus grevi protection. Stakeholders and related governments should ensure that natural habitats for the lion and the zebra are protected and this will eliminate the burden of having to protect these animals in a zoo. In any case, efforts to protect animals in a zoo are not sustainable because the animals are limited in its ability to survive in the natural setting. The best home for any animal is the natural habitat.
References
Estes, R. (1991). The Behavior Guide to African Mammals, Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, and Primates. Los Angeles: The University of California Press.
Groves, P. (2005). Mammal Species of the World Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 133
McClintock, D. (1976). A Natural History of Zebras. New York: Scribner
Prothero D., & Schoch R. M. (2003). Horns, Tusks, and Flippers: The Evolution of Hoofed Mammals. John Hopkins: Johns Hopkins University Press.
