Professor Edward Wiafe Debrah, Ag. Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Somanya in the Eastern Region has called for the partnership to address wildlife conservation challenges. Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency about the 2023 World Wildlife Day observation Prof Debrah said ‘ partnerships for wildlife conservation can involve governments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), communities, and private sector actors. Each partner brings its expertise, resources, and knowledge to the table, making it easier to achieve conservation goals. ‘ It is an essential part of our planet’s biodiversity and its contribution to the functioning of ecosystems that provide us with vital services such as food, water, and clean air.’ ‘ Sadly, due to factors such as habitat loss, climate change, and illegal wildlife trade, many species are facing extinction,’ he said. World Wildlife Day was under the theme: ‘ Partnership for wildlife conservation,’ It was to raise awareness and highlights the urgent need for society to work together to protect our planet’s wildlife and their habitats to secure the survival of our planet. He noted that the illegal wildlife trade was one of the most significant threats to wildlife and was a multi-billion-dollar industry that involved poaching, trafficking, and selling wildlife and its products. Endangered species such as elephants, non-human primates, and pangolins were particularly vulnerable to poaching for their ivory, skin, meat, and other body parts. He said ‘habitat loss is another major threat to wildlife. The destruction of forests, wetlands and other habitats had led to the decline in the populations of many species. Climate change is also affecting wildlife as it alters their habitats and disrupts their breeding and migration patterns.’ According to him, in Ghana, mention could be made of the Community-Based Forest and Wildlife Management Project (CBFWM). The project is a partnership between the Government of Ghana, the World Bank, and local communities. Its goal is to promote sustainable forest and wildlife management while improving livelihoods for local communities. The CBFWM project involves several activities, including the establishment of community-based management plans for forest reserves, wildlife protection, monitoring, and alternative livelihood development for communities. The project also includes a community-based eco-tourism initiative that provides communities with an alternative source of income while promoting wildlife conservation. Professor Debrah said another partnership for wildlife conservation in Ghana was the West African Primates Conservation Action (WAPCA). WAPCA, an NGO that works to conserve Ghana’s wildlife and its habitats through research, advocacy and community engagement. WAPCA established a partnership with local communities, traditional authorities, and government agencies to promote wildlife conservation in Ghana. One of the WAPCA’s key initiatives is the conservation of the white-napped mangabey, an endangered primate found only in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. WAPCA works with local communities to promote the conservation of the mangabey’s habitat and reduce human-wildlife conflicts, he said. World Wildlife Day is marked on every year March 03l and proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013 to mark the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973.
Source: Ghana News Agency
