Wellbeing and Wildlife Monitoring

Written by Sally 

Improve Your Health with Wildlife Monitoring

Looking for a new hobby? An interest in the world around you not only benefits you personally but has the potential to make major impacts on your world. Going out in nature improves health and well-being. Knowing more about the world around us sustains ecosystems for human welfare and survival. It’s a win-win situation.

What is Wildlife Monitoring?

By definition, wildlife monitoring keeps track of animal movement patterns, population demographics, habitat utilisation, and more. The more we know about species, especially those surrounding us, the more it can improve human health. 

Setting up trail cameras in areas where various species are likely to be, is an important part of following and understanding wildlife. Tracking occurs worldwide, from Africa to Australia. There are biodiversity centres that record all of the living organisms in set geographical areas. Getting everyone involved in these efforts teaches the next generation about ecology, focuses conservation efforts, and also monitors non-native plants.

(Photo by Edward Bell)

Improve Your Health with Wildlife Monitoring

You might have heard getting outdoors improves your health but it is more than just a rumour. According to the Journal on Ecosystem Services, “we are just beginning to appreciate the variety and complexity of human health benefits that stem from experiencing nature and more specifically, biodiversity.” Hundreds of scientific studies conducted around the world include evidence of health benefits proving:

·         A Positive Effect on Mental Processes

·         Boosted Self-Esteem

·         An Improved or Positive Mood

·         Decreased Depression and Lowered Stress

·         Restored Attention

·         Improved Social Behaviour

·         Decreased Fatigue

·         Boosted Happiness, Creativity, and Comfort

·         Improved Cognitive Function in Adults and Children

·         Reduced Sick Leave

·         Improve Physiological Functioning 

·         Reduced Amount of Headaches, Pain, and Lowered Blood Pressure

(Photo by Sudi Chiang)

Sustain the Environment with Monitoring

Aside from the personal benefits, you are also giving back to the world and making it better for future generations to enjoy. By knowing the species in an area and the functioning of a healthy ecosystem, we can track environmental changes as they occur and prevent them from getting worse. Basic factors of recording and monitoring include: identifying changes in species, looking for threatening species on the island, and recording all animal and plant groups on the island.

Everything from the butterflies to the types of grass in an area make a difference in the functioning of a total ecosystem. Protect the future and record how our world currently is with monitoring. 

Why Not Get Started?

No matter where you live in the world, wildlife monitoring improves your health and has the potential to impact the future. What’s holding you back from getting started?