Man vs. Nature Prevails in 'Biodiversity Hot Spots'

Park rangers displaying bones of slaughtered hippos

Rangers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Virunga National Park displaying bones of hippos slaughtered during the troubled region's latest conflict.

Most wars during the last half of the 20th century occurred in areas that are home to some of the most diverse and environmentally threatened wildlife on Earth, according to a new report published in the journal Conservation Biology.

From the use of the defoliant Agent Orange during the Vietnam War to the current fighting near gorilla and hippopotamus habitats in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the researchers found that 81 percent of major armed conflicts between 1950 and 2000 were conducted in 34 regions referred to by Conservation International (CI) as “biodiversity hot spots.”

Such conflicts are often conducted in these areas because of the cover provided by their deep forests and tall mountains.

War refugees within and around the conflict zones can add to the stress on these endangered environments by hunting for food, cutting trees for firewood and building camps, the report states.

"Millions of the world's poorest people live in hot spots and depend on healthy ecosystems for their survival,” said CI president Russell A. Mittermeier.

“So there is a moral obligation – as well as political and social responsibility - to protect these places and all the resources and services they provide.”

Photo: Virunga National Park (DRC)