Nairobi: World Animal Protection (WAP) is calling for urgent measures to safeguard Africa’s wildlife from escalating threats. Wild animals across the continent face unprecedented challenges that threaten their survival, from underfunding of wildlife conservation efforts and exploitative wildlife policies to habitat destruction, legal and illegal wildlife trade, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.
According to Kenya News Agency, this appeal comes as the world is marking World Wildlife Day today, a day set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness on the importance of wildlife conservation. This year’s theme is ‘Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet.’
In a press release today, WAP Wildlife Campaign Manager Edith Kabesiime stated that despite Africa being home to some of the world’s most unique species, this heritage might be ruined in a few years since the emergence and expansion of wildlife captive farming for commercial gain is a ticking time bomb that needs to be addressed. “This is an industry that not only compromises animal welfare but also accelerates species decline, and resources need to be mobilised to protect wild animals in their natural habitat,” she said.
Kabesiime noted that wildlife is under immense pressure and that every year, thousands of wild animals are poached, trafficked, bred, and farmed in inhumane and cruel conditions. “We must put an end to this model that prioritises profit over animal welfare and champions wildlife protection in their natural environments,” she added.
The Campaign Manager, however, mentioned that this requires adequate resourcing, noting that wildlife conservation efforts should be properly funded, regardless of their revenue-generating potential. She explained that the ecological balance that wildlife sustains is far more valuable than any immediate financial gain, yet this immense contribution is often overlooked.
World Animal Protection is advocating for long-term solutions to curb these threats, urging governments, conservation organizations, and communities to step in and set aside sufficient resources in annual budgets to safeguard natural wildlife ecosystems. WAP has further called for ending the exploitation of wild animals by raising awareness and pushing for policy changes that prevent wild animals from being farmed, captured, sold, or used for entertainment.
“We also need to promote coexistence between wildlife and communities by implementing community-based conservation programmes that reduce human-wildlife conflict and ensure local populations are at the forefront of protecting wildlife,” the statement says. WAP has called for supporting ethical tourism by encouraging responsible tourism that does not docile, exploit, or harm wild animals and also strengthening wildlife protection laws by enforcing stricter penalties for wildlife crimes to deter criminal networks.
World Animal Protection is a global organisation committed to ending the suffering of animals worldwide. Through advocacy, education, and direct interventions, the organisation works to protect wild and domestic animals from cruelty and exploitation.