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HOME > Animal Impact | Features |
Read Time: | 28th December 2024
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Discover how wars and conflicts wreak havoc on animals and the environment, from habitat destruction and species endangerment to pollution and climate change, threatening biodiversity, ecosystems, and the planet’s future
War and conflict not only devastate human lives but also inflict catastrophic harm on animals and the natural world, threatening biodiversity, ecosystems, and the planet’s future.
The United Nations reports that the world is witnessing the greatest number of wars and conflicts since the end of World War II.
As of June 2024, an astonishing 92 countries were involved in more than 55 conflicts, affecting around 2 billion people, roughly a quarter of humanity. In 2023, the world pumped a record $2.44 billion into global military expenditures, representing the largest year-on-year increase since 2009.
A war-weary world is feeling the heavy burden of large-scale violence. Indiscriminate war machines inflict punishing consequences on everyone, impacting national economies and disrupting economic supply chains.
The financial impact of the unprecedented number of wars and conflicts is severe, diverting funds from the world’s poor, who are already struggling to meet basic needs, including food, water, and shelter.
The challenges faced by humanity are great but a frequently overlooked consequence of military conflicts is the impact on the natural world. Bombs, explosives, and other weapons of war cause extensive destruction, devastating the environment with profound and long-lasting effects.
Wars and conflicts leave a legacy of polluted soil and waterways, with lasting consequences on ecosystems and animals. Even today, Germany, France and Belgium are affected by soil contamination from World War II.
Wars leave a devastating legacy of contamination, polluting waterways and degrading soils with hazardous materials, making ecosystems toxic for wildlife and unsuitable for agriculture. Photo © Donatas/Adobe Stock
In Vietnam, decades after the war, Agent Orange has left many areas uninhabitable due to persistent soil contamination. Bombs and landmines degrade soils, making them less suitable for crops that are desperately needed in war-torn regions.
Ecosystems that are contaminated by explosive and hazardous materials can be lethal to animals and can disrupt the world’s food chains.
The catastrophic consequences of warfare can be seen with the growing ecological crisis in Ukraine. Once known as the ‘breadbasket of Europe’, Ukraine was home to approximately 35% of the total biodiversity in Europe, but the calamitous conflict with Russia has endangered approximately 600 species of animal and 750 species of plant and fungi, which has had a severe impact on the world’s food supply.
Military operations use vast amounts of fossil fuels and often start fires or involve the intentional burning of forests, all of which contribute to the increasing amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere and, in turn, climate change.
Military training exercises have devastating consequences on animals and ecosystems, including habitat destruction, declines in species populations, and the loss of biodiversity in aquatic and terrestrial systems.
Military operations consume enormous quantities of fossil fuels and frequently ignite fires or intentionally burn forests, driving greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbating the global climate crisis. Photo © Aleksandr Lesik/Adobe Stock
In 2021, the U.S. Navy dropped a 40,000 pound explosive into the Atlantic Ocean to test an aircraft’s ability to withstand battle conditions. The explosive device triggered a 3.9 magnitude earthquake, causing extensive damage to marine ecosystems and resulting in the deaths of countless aquatic animals.
Due to the lack of transparency and accountability, however, it is not possible to know the true impact of the exercise, but we know that it was severe. Military operations nearly always result in countless animal deaths, including the deaths of threatened and endangered species.
The destruction of vital ecosystems and natural habitats results in the indirect deaths of billions of animals, accelerating biological annihilation at a time when the loss of biodiversity is one of the greatest global challenges we face.
The destruction of habitats leaves animals disoriented, vulnerable, and without access to food and shelter. Landmines are directly responsible for injuring and killing animals, particularly large mammals, as they wander unknowingly into areas with unexploded landmines.
Landmines have even pushed some species closer to extinction, including elephants in Africa and leopards in Afghanistan.
The presence of landmines also makes animal protection by rangers and officials a dangerous or an even impossible task, exposing even more animals to the risk of illicit animal trafficking.
Conservation efforts in conflict zones are difficult, hampered by weak law enforcement, desperate poverty, and the presence of organised crime syndicates.
Military training exercises, such as the deployment of sea mines, wreak havoc on marine ecosystems, causing habitat destruction, species declines, and a severe loss of aquatic biodiversity. Photo © Grispb/Adobe Stock
Historically, animals have been treated as mere tools of war, brought in to fight battles not their own. In World War I, more than 16 million animals were forced to serve in areas of transportation, communication and reconnaissance, and more than eight million horses, donkeys and mules and one million dogs died during that war.
Sea mammals do not escape recruitment as many are strapped with devices for military purposes.
Animals in zoos also face grave danger during conflicts. During wars in the twentieth century, animals in zoos were bombed, tortured, starved, killed, and even eaten. In 2022, starving Russian soldiers were reported to be eating animals from zoos in Ukraine, a tragedy that has repeated itself time and time again throughout history.
Companion animals are not immune from the fallout of war. During conflicts, many companion animals are left behind without food, water or shelter when people are forced to evacuate war zones.
Shelter animals risk death by starvation when caretakers are forced to evacuate. In 2022, hundreds of dogs were found malnourished or dead in Ukraine when the shelter became inaccessible due to a constant wave of bombing.
In Gaza, countless numbers of companion animals have suffered starvation, physical trauma, and diseases. The constant barrage of explosions and gunfire in conflict zones causes tremendous stress and psychological trauma to animals. Farmed animals also face starvation when abandoned or when infrastructure vital to their care is destroyed.
Despite the devastating consequences that military conflicts have, little attention is given to their impact on animals and the natural world, even though the destruction inflicted on nature will endure for generations to come. The world is facing unprecedented global challenges, and wars and conflicts waste and destroy resources that humanity desperately needs.
Throughout history, animals have been exploited as tools of war, forced into battles they did not choose, serving roles in transportation, communication, and combat, often at the cost of their lives. Photo © Luigi Petro/Adobe Stock
Legal protection for animals in the context of human conflicts is slow to develop because national security interests always take precedence over the welfare of animals.
However, there is growing recognition that safeguarding the natural world during wars and conflicts is critical, not only for the environment and animals, but also for the well-being of humanity.
The destruction of ecosystems and animals has long-term consequences that affect food security, public health, and the stability of global communities.
As awareness increases, there will be a stronger push for new laws that will ensure that the natural world is protected, even in times of war.
The future of both humanity and the planet depends on our ability to protect animals and their habitats, even in the midst of conflict.
Are you ready to go vegan? Make mealtimes a breeze with these delicious and easy recipes for Veganuary
Featured photo © New Africa/Adobe Stock
Written by
Kimberly Moore is a Senior Attorney in Washington, D.C. and a Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, and author of The Case for the Legal Protection of Animals, Humanity’s Shared Destiny with the Animal Kingdom.
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