Edith Kabesiime, wildlife campaigns manager at the African Office of World Animal Protection, said that innovative approaches are required to halt the depletion of wildlife sanctuaries in the continent and boost tourism.
She also said that enhanced conservation of wildlife habitats in Africa should be prioritized in order to minimize threats posed by climate change, urbanization, and population pressure.
Kabesiime also added that “It is crucial for African governments to enact policies that strengthen protection of wildlife habitats as they face multiple threats saying that animals must be allowed to thrive in the wild.
She noted that the continent is home to biodiversity hotspots whose ecological health is key to the survival of iconic wildlife species like giant herbivores, carnivores, reptiles, and birds.
Kabesiime during the virtual meeting asked that international solidarity combined with policy shift, community-based education, innovative financing, and technology uptake should be the key to boosting conservation of Africa’s vast wildlife habitats.
She also emphasized that tackling the triple ecological crisis of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss will have positive outcomes on efforts to conserve Africa’s wildlife heritage.
Kabesiime said that the adoption of sustainable production and consumption practices combined with action on illegal encroachment is key to boosting the ecological integrity of Africa’s wildlands.
