Bamboo Harvest Affects Wildlife

Posted by Dawn M. Smith Jul 29, 2008

There are approximately 1,200 species of woody bamboo in the world. Half of them may be endangered. If they become extinct some critically endangered animals are likely to follow.

Most people know about the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and its dependence on bamboo. But did you know that the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) also depends on bamboo for a large part of its diet?

Two species of lemur, the golden bamboo lemur (Haplemur aureus) and the greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) feed almost exclusively on bamboo, as their name implies. Another endemic species of Madagascar, the ploughshare tortoise (Geochelone yniphora), requires bamboo forest habitat as well.

Much of the focus of conservation has been on endangered animals but as more people become aware of the overall loss of the earth’s biodiversity, the concern for plant species is growing.

Bamboo has been used for centuries in many parts of the world for various purposes, including homebuilding. Until recently much of it has been harvested from the wild. If endangered bamboo species, and the wildlife that depends on them are to survive, cultivation needs to replace wild harvesting. This will allow bamboo forests to recover without creating a hardship for the people who are also dependent on bamboo.

Those of us in the developed world will need to learn to read labels and choose our bamboo products carefully to ensure that we are supporting a sustainably harvested trade, thus doing one more simple thing to help the world’s endangered species.