Back

Covid 19: Appeasing Nature and Castigating Humans

The visible positive changes in nature due to lockdown perhaps balances the damage done due to pollution by disposal of masks and PPE gear in waterbodies.

As the new ongoing coronavirus epidemic has claimed more lives worldwide, it is recommended that the majority of the world’s population remain indoors and remain socially removed to avoid becoming infected with COVID-19.

India is home to 21 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities, but recently air pollution levels have started to drop dramatically as the second-most populated nation endures the second week of a 21-day lockdown amidst coronavirus fears, according to The Weather Channel.

According to CNN, the complete closure of the Indian economy is known to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but purifying the air that strangles millions of people brings health benefits. When the vehicle is off-road, construction stops and factory production stops, the levels of microscopic particulate matter, or PM 2.5, start to drop. Here’s heavy rains in the northwest India, contributed to the control the level of pollution in the country. Rain is a very effective process for removing aerosols from the atmosphere and can reduce particulate matter values.

 

 

Regarding its impact on the climate channel, the meteorological channel published the following statement by the World Meteorological Organization.“Efforts to combat the epidemics of coronavirus have led to reduced economic activity and improved local air quality, but it is too early to assess the effects on the concentration of greenhouse gases responsible for long-term climate change.”

While much of the perceived bird boom is due to a drop in outside noise and a sharpening of our attention to the outside world, that the animals may be benefiting from the lockdown.With the humans busy isolating and quarantining themselves, the animals appear to have gotten a free reign—albeit temporarily—on the otherwise busy roads of bustling cities and metropolitan areas.Rare instances of wild animals roaming the city streets are being shared online not just from India, but around the world, with more pictures and videos emerging each day. Here’s a collection of such posts from the social networking platform.

https://twitter.com/SandeepMall/status/1244119237750218752/photo/1

https://twitter.com/sanjaybhutiani/status/1243507881045045250

https://twitter.com/susantananda3/status/1243808699426037760

https://twitter.com/susantananda3/status/1243441232392720389

https://twitter.com/DGrieshnak/status/1243077554224787457

https://twitter.com/soumyajitt/status/1242729005482008576

https://twitter.com/susantananda3/status/1244134212187197440

Fewer cars in the road means less roadkill, conservationists have said, meaning the lockdown could be a lifeline for wild animals. For example The largest protected area in southern India has two national highways (NH-67) and ( NH-212 ) passes through the park and the road has been a major concern for wild animals as speeding vehicles have killed many wild animals including snkes, Tiger, Leopard, Elephant calf, Indian Civet and deer.toads and other frequently-squashed creatures.

The main danger to wild animals is bikes, cars and trucks, but with coronavirus it should be so much easier for the wild animals to travel to their destinations. This year they will have a better chance of spawning. The less vehicles there are on the road the less wildlife road casualties there are for wild animals, snkes and birds in particular get squashed on the road.

The closure of pubs and restaurants has meant a lessening demand for fish and seafood. Because of this, many fishing businesses are going out to sea less frequently or have paused operations for now. The Marine Conservation Society said this could help our fish stocks recover. It’s certainly feasible that some stocks could be subjected to reduced fishing pressure due to the drop in demand as a result of the pandemic, but whether or not that reduction is sustained long enough for populations to increase is hard to predict.

There is no question that Covid-19 is upending the global seafood trade, supply chains and reducing demand on food-services such as eat-in restaurants. If we saw reduced fishing operations over the lockdown period due to Covid-19 and reduce catch volumes directly relating to this, this in turn could potentially impact some fish stocks status in the long run.

The shutdown of modern life as we know it is liberating wildlife to enjoy newly depopulated landscapes. But conservationists say the impact is not all positive, with wildlife crimes going unreported and vital work including monitoring impossible to carry out.

However, that he is concerned that movement restrictions mean conservationists will find it difficult to continue their work looking after endangered species, including reintroduction programmes. It is important that wherever restrictions allow we keep the work going that is enabling the continued survival of other species, and that enables us to assess the health of the countryside during this period.

Washing our hands more often may be hurting the invertebrates in our rivers, he added, explaining: “Anti-bacterial chemicals in handwashes can be persistent and harmful to the environment, an increase in the volume of anti-bacterial chemicals going through sewage works could harm river life. The conservationist said:  “On the other-hand reduced economic activity will reduce air pollution, which will help bees find flowers – exhaust fumes disguise floral scents – and reduce the current damaging eutrophication of grasslands, wetlands, heathlands and woodlands.”  Here’s image of lockdown effect on Indian river.

 

 

I am also hopeful that the lockdown will encourage home-schooled children and their parents to notice the wildlife around them. “We could have a re-engagement with nature and plants, and that is for everybody, wherever they live.

 

About the Author /

A mechanical engineer by profession, Milind is fascinated by the many facets of nature. While not a professional herpetologist, he is interested to connect with and learn more about nature and animals, specifically herpetofauna. An enthusiastic and dedicated learner, Milind refers to himself as a Wildlife photographer and Explorer.

Post a Comment