Is African Wildlife Headed for Extinction?
Monday June 25, 2007
As the human population grows and moves into formerly wild areas, what is happening to the large mammals of Africa? And are conservation efforts making a difference? Learn how human encroachment and illegal hunting are decimating African wildlife, and how you can help to preserve these magnificent animals. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Comments
Dear Larry
I really appreciate your contributions. They are always so very relevant, compassionate and thought provoking. Thank you!
As a Kenyan, having lived through pre-independence and into this post-independence period, I can testify to this problem being a tragic and debatable subject. We humans are supposed to be more important and more deserving than any animal, especially in countries where people have not been brought up with attitudes of caring and protecting animals in the midst of so much disease and hunger. Governments are also not equipped financially and emotionally to developing separate and protected areas for humans and animals. Although tourism is recognised as being a highly important source of income, insufficient funds (again) are the main reason why parks and wildlife sanctuaries are not adequately patrolled. The presence of hugely powerful and rich international markets for horns and skins is beyond the control of developing countries on their own. It is, as always, more complicated than what appears on the surface, it involves things like infrastructure, awareness, and creating alternative sources and areas of income and habitation for humans. Recently there was the tragic situation where lions began preying on Maasai cattle, which are their symbols of wealth and status, simply because the lions were being blocked into an area too small for them to be able to feed. The Maasai then set about killing about 30 lions. Mediating in such situations is delicate, but has to be done.
I agree with Eugene there. I was born in Indonesia, and as such am aware of the richness of my country of birth in terms of its wildlife (although it’s rich in other areas as well). Unfortunately, the decimation of the wildlife will continue to happen because of the lack of funding, or should I say meager funding. In contrast, when there are people with money who want to take anything (you name it, you get it; money still speaks even in the most negative way unfortunately), then things WILL get done! And I’m talking not just of the usual suspects, but also of the average ‘collectors’ who don’t care at all about the consequences of their ‘collecting’. As a sad example, there are barely more than 2000 Sumatran elephanst left, compared with thousand of Asian elephants, or hundred of thousands of African elephants.
That’s done to death and does a disservice to other areas such as Indonesia, Burma, Vietnam, etc. (No offense to the Indian wildlife…hihihi…it’s just that you guys get TONS of coverage already, and more people, especially Westerners need to know more that there’s much more to Asia than simply India and its wildlife. 
)
I would love for you Larry to put a spotlight on the Asian wilderness as well, and not just do the usual India angle!