A Step to Becoming a Less “Carbonated” World

Sequestering Carbon From the Furry Creatures Around Us

Abstract

Wildlife has co-existed on this planet with humans for thousands of years. While industrialization and urbanization are on the rise, so is the level of carbon dioxide, significantly affecting wildlife in numerous ways. Yet, as we humans are doing our best to devise the most efficient and appropriate ways to fight against climate change–through strategies like sequestering carbon and focusing on renewable energies–animals are also fighting climate change in their own unique ways. While solutions to fight climate change are mostly innovated by humans,  being able to realize and value the role of nature and wildlife is an inseparable key to making our world closer to carbon neutral. This paper explores the details into how wildlife plays a role in carbon sequestration, focusing on two critical animals to the environment: deer and forest elephants. Research was gathered from sources worldwide on the relationship between wild animals and carbon sequestration, featuring studies on specific species of Scotland deer and African Forest elephants. It was found that these wild animals not only benefit the local vegetation’s growth, but also reflect a wider regional impact on increasing their ability to sequester carbon into the atmosphere. Though there exist negative impacts of these animals, it is still essential to recognize their role in our nature and make use of all that can be done.