African wildlife is in serious trouble!

Photo by Alex Francis Mutuku

It’s no secret that Africa is a beautiful continent; teeming with wildlife and breathtaking landscapes. Africa harbors a diverse array of animals that cut across the animal kingdom including my personal favorites elephants and cheetahs. However, many species are at the brink of extinction and the main threat lies in human activities. 

In this article, I will look at the threats facing African wildlife.

Photo by Alex Francis Mutuku

Habitat loss

Habitat loss is the greatest threat to wildlife. It affects the genetic diversity, species abundance, richness and distribution of the animals. Africa’s population is booming with an expected population of over 1.8 Billion by 2035. The surge is pushing people into animal territory in search of space and resources. Forests, savannas, swamps and other habitats are being cleared for agriculture, natural resource exploration and industrial developments. In addition, about 70% of the sub-Saharan Africa population rely on wood for fuel this is also accelerating deforestation. As a result of these human activities, large ecosystems are being broken down into fragments. Fragmented habitats are too small to support wildlife making it difficult for the animals to find food and breed which in turn has increased competition between different species. Fragmentation also disrupts vital wildlife migration corridors that are essential for keystone animals like elephants.

Evidently, the African wild dog population has plummeted to about 5000 individuals and is now the second most endangered carnivore after the Ethiopian wolf and one of the main reasons is habitat loss.

Poaching and hunting for animal parts

Illegal wildlife trafficking is said to be the 4^th most lucrative illicit commerce globally. Poaching is an environmental crime that targets – more often than not – endangered or vulnerable species for animal parts. Animals at risk of poaching are elephants for ivory, rhinos for their horn, pangolins for their scales and lions for their bones. It is worth noting pangolin scales and rhino horn are both made of keratin; the material that makes up hair and nails.

Not all wildlife trade is illegal, certain wild plants and animals are sold as food, pets, medicine and ornamentals. However, wildlife trade becomes a crisis when it is done unsustainably. As seen in Vietnam, a recent myth states that rhino horn can cure cancer which has led to intense poaching in South Africa.

Sadly, poaching is difficult to contain because the poachers, often local people, are the ones apprehended whereas kingpins are left at large with the potential to strike again.

Photo by Alex Francis Mutuku

Subsistence and Commercial hunting

In addition to poaching, many hunters target wild animals for consumption (bush meat) either for subsistence or commercial purposes. Animals hunted as bush meat include primates, antelopes, snakes, monitor lizards and porcupines. The danger of consuming bush meat is the spread of zoonotic diseases among people. COVID-19, SARS and Ebola are examples of zoonotic diseases that are linked to the consumption of wild animals.

The bush meat trade is common in West and Central Africa for it is either legal or partly legal. Locals will turn to bush meat to supplement their diet when there is a decline in fish supply.

Due to the preservation of natural habitats, communities living close to National Parks are often economically handicapped due to lack of infrastructure and low employment opportunities. These situations push them to hunt as a means to fend for their families. Moreover, in Zambia, people living in urban areas consume bush meat in order to stay connected to their culture thus driving up demand for bush meat.

Despite its perceived threat to wildlife there are limited funds going into the research of the bush meat trade, therefore, it is difficult to assess the scale and impact on wildlife populations.

Human-wildlife conflict

Human-wildlife conflict occurs when human and wildlife needs and behaviour negatively impact on each other. Conflicts occur when wildlife damage crops, threaten, kill or injure people and domestic animals. The major causes of human-wildlife conflicts are agricultural expansion, human settlement, livestock overgrazing, and deforestation. These often lead to reduction in available natural resources hence the animals seek alternative sources of prey or food. Mitigation methods for these conflicts may lead to the loss of wildlife due to the use of traps or live fencing that may injure or kill the wild animals.

Trophy hunting

Trophy hunting refers to hunting of animals not for food or sustenance but for their body parts. In trophy hunting, animals are hunted, killed and their heads and hide put on display as trophies in the homes of hunters. It is estimated that more than 125,000 animals are killed each year in trophy hunting. The most coveted animals to hunt are the Big 5 which are some of the most endangered animals.

Trophy hunting occurs in 13 countries across Africa – South Africa, Tanzania and Namibia – to name a few. Fortunately, Kenya has had a national ban on trophy hunting since 1977.

Captive bred hunting is a grotesque form of trophy hunting. It involves breeding animals, mainly lions, specifically to be shot and stuffed. The animals are usually accustomed to humans so this gives the hunter an unfair advantage. This form of trophy hunting is practiced in South Africa. Nonetheless, it has been reported that South Africa intends to end the captive lion breeding industry. Hopefully this will have a positive impact on conservation.

Although trophy hunts cost tens of thousands, an elephant hunt can cost anywhere from USD$11,000-70,000, there is little evidence to support that the money goes to developing communities or conservation efforts.

Alas, according to research some private land conservation owners argue that trophy hunting is a major source of income and they would not be able to sustain their business on ecotourism alone, if there was a trophy ban. In the event of a ban some would probably have to remove all wildlife from their land and convert it into a livestock farm.

What can be done?

Currently, the future seems bleak for African wildlife, however; there are measures that can be taken to mitigate the situation.

• Initiate community outreach programs to educate locals about the danger of bush meat and ways to avoid human wildlife conflict.
• Create employment opportunities for local people in conservation as scouts and rangers.
• Provide alternatives to fuel wood such as bamboo charcoal.
• Do not support the trophy hunting industry or purchase any animal products from endangered wildlife.

Conclusion

African wildlife is in serious trouble and drastic measures need to be taken to conserve it. If not many of these precious animals may become extinct in our lifetime.

Sources

https://www.awf.org/threats

https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/illegal-wildlife-trade