Rob Small's Masters Thesis: Uptake and the success of insect ...

Leader-Williams, 2003). Nearly 40% of a sample of non-agricultural and non-industrialised
societies heavily depend on fishing, c. 33% depend on gathering, and 28% depend on the
hunting of terrestrial resources (Ingold et al., 1988).
It has been recognised that the over exploitative use of wild species in the past has been a
major driver for human caused extinctions. Over hunting was the first factor in Diamond’s
(1987) ‘chains of extinction’. A famous example is the over hunting of the Moa to
extinction in New Zealand, ‘It was long argued whether Moas died out before or after the
Maori colonisation of New Zealand around 1000AD… The argument has now been settled,
because bones of almost all Moa species have been found in close association with humans.
Radiocarbon dates show that the Moas became extinct within about 500 years of human
arrival’ (Diamond, 1987).
Article 2 of the CBD (cited in Hutton & Leader-Williams, 2003) defines sustainable use as
“the use of components of biological diversity in a way and at a rate that does not lead to
the long-term decline of biological diversity, thereby maintaining its potential to meet the
needs and aspirations of present and future generations”. Although this definition of
sustainable use came at the end of the 20 th century it can be seen that the realisation of the
need for conservation of populations of species has been apparent for a long period. There
is a need for the conservation of wild stocks whether it is purely for economic gain, or
feelings of moral obligation. However, harvested wild animal populations continue to
decline even with this understanding alongside scientific and administrative input. The
history of management of natural resources has shown little evidence of sustainability
(Ludwig, 1993 cited in Ludwig, 2001).
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