ABSTRACT
The conservation of biological diversity is closely linked to the conservation of “wildlife” and “wildlands”. “Wildlife” species are the focus of the conservation efforts because, as refugees from the international economic system, they are under threat of being excluded from all other global systems as well. Biodiversity conservation must indeed be focused on the conservation of wildlife and wildlands, but not only for the purposes of preservation. The role of wildlife utilization is to provide compensation for the developing countries for conserving wildlands and wildlife. Wildlands are those which have not been substantially modified by the force of specialization. Several leading scientists have estimated the possible extinction losses that may result if the trend of wildland losses continues. The tropical forested regions are of special importance because they are believed to retain the vast majority of the world’s remaining species. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
