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.
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 says 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.
