We live in a world highly influenced by humans, but that was not always the case. Modern humans evolved for tens of millennia as small groups of hunter-gatherers. Our ancestors hunted, fished and gathered plant products before learning to cultivate plants and tame animals. This formed our species in ways we do not fully understand.

Cave paintings show that respect for other animals has always been important. Hunting created the first nature reserves and anglers organise to restore rivers. Animal protection organisations were started by people who had gained empathy for companion animals.

Nowadays, humans dominate and harm nature’s riches. Yet we all depend on nature for air to breath, clean water, and clement weather to grow crops. Many of us stay healthy through recreation in nature. We should learn ways to manage nature well, not least for COVID-19 and wildlife trade. If you enjoy wild foods or just love watching wildlife, you too can help conserve those resources.

Hunters and watchers of wildlife do not always cooperate, but they need to. Conflicts divert attention from threats to all, like climate change. Using renewable resources sustainably is not different from using farmed produce, but often better for conserving nature. Hunting, farming and other uses of natural resources can be solutions for conservation and the threats from global warming. We need to focus together on solutions, based both on technology that creates new livelihoods and on nature itself.