Endangered species Africa

Zambia’s Protection of Endangered Species Africa

Endangered species Africa! means protecting wildlife. Africa is synonymous with safaris. And Zambia African Safari embraces biodiversity…and maintaining the ecosystem. So we look at Africa as one of the few custodians of wildlife in the world today. And risk management for ecotourism aims to benefit all humanity.

We all like our environment. And if we let it change it will only affect our happiness. After all who has not heard the phrase “as dead as the Dodo”?. This phrase epitomizes a frightening scenario for animal lovers. Conservation should embrace biodiversity if we wish to avoid endangered species in Africa to follow that route.

Shouts and Laughter Threatened
But consider this village scene. Shouts and laughter rang out one quite afternoon. These joyful sounds were coming from playing and happy children. They were enjoying life’s little pleasures during an afternoon swim in the river. Swimming and splashing water at each other! Meanwhile the elders were taking sedately and leisurely afternoon siestas.

Suddenly the atmosphere tensed up. A different sound, …frightened and high pitched was heard. The crocodile had entered the scene! The news headline said it all “Crocodile Attacks a Child”

Should that have been allowed? The concept of endangered species Africa and the control of population of animal species is like a juggler’s act. It’s like throwing a ball in the air and catching a different falling ball. But should human population be controlled or let grow out of control? The mind boggles…

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

An attempt to answer this question is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Zambia is a member of this world organization and abides by the CITES convention. That’s why Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) was set up through an act of parliament. Its responsibility is the management of national parks, game management areas and the wildlife. That means they use sustainable risk management for ecotourism.

To avoid accidents such as the one mentioned above ZAWA applied to CITES for permission to crop 300 crocodiles. The cropping, also called culling, was in the three river basins of Kafue, Luangwa and Luapula rivers.

Before this application ZAWA conducted a crocodile population survey in all the river basins in Zambia. The survey showed that crocodiles over populated almost all the river basins. So the many reports ZAWA had received concerning reptiles’ attacks on people living in close proximity to the river basins were not overly exaggerated.

Culling and Wild Animal Amnesty
Culling of one or more species of animals is done on a regular basis to control the population of wildlife. Sadly this has to done to maintain sustainable biodiversity. Otherwise the predatory animals would ‘eat’ their food into extinction and later themselves disappear too! So the world would be the worse for it due to this loss. And the wonderful creatures would be no more.

CITES was set up to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants did not threaten their survival. Regulating international trade can prevent the extinction of some animal species. CITES provides the framework for which member countries adopt their own domestic legislation to make sure that CITES is implemented at local level to protect endangered species in Africa.

Meanwhile on November 15, 2004, ZAWA put up a Wild Animal Amnesty Week. This amnesty appealed to individuals and companies in three major cities of Zambia (Lusaka, Kitwe and Ndola) to surrender their wild pets without retribution. In Zambia keeping wild animals as pets without a certificate of ownership is considered “illegal and cruel”

The Wildlife Act
The Act makes illegal the possession of wild animal skins, mounted animal heads, ivory, bones, or similar body parts without licences or permits. When found held illegally they are confiscate to the government. The Wildlife Act No 12 of 1998 provides punishment in fine, imprisonment or both if contravened.

The wild animals that are considered endangered species Africa include baboons, velvet monkeys, duikers, genets, civets, tortoise, birds, (and those beautiful parrots). Once the wild animals have been confiscated from individuals and companies ZAWA puts them up at Munda Wanga Wildlife Park and Sanctuary for protection and safe keeping.

Animal Sanctuary
“Munda Wanga” is a local dialect that means “my garden”, a suitable name for the function the ‘gardens’ do. This sanctuary has the capacity to support the wildlife of Zambia by providing sanctuary to orphaned, injured or confiscated animals.

Our appeal? Protect endangered species Africa. Meanwhile look at the honourable example of a private wildlife orphanage. Chimfushi Wildlife Orphanage for chimpanzee is run by the Siddles (David and Sheila). This orphanage on the Copperbelt of Zambia is the largest in the world. Besides the chimps it offers sanctuary to other wild animals too.