Threats to our wildlife trade conservation

NO doubt, wildlife trade remains a very controversial subject on the African continent, perhaps across the world. The World Economic Forum asserts that with an annual upper income of 23 billion USD, wildlife trade is the fourth most lucrative global crime after drugs, human trafficking and arms. While the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of wild fauna and flora is clear about international trade, with emphasis on sustainability, we must further accept that poaching of wildlife resources in Nigeria is largely unchecked, contributing to our rapid biodiversity loss.

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We must always emphasise the relevance of wildlife education and conservation using various platforms, formal (schools and universities), informal (communities, social and religious groups) and online advocacy.

Interested stakeholders, development partners and private sectors will consistently have to lobby and influence the government’s political will at all levels; most importantly, there is a striking need to provide lots of other environmental-friendly economic options/job opportunities that could convert poachers and hunters to conservationists and researchers.

‘Seyifunmi Adebote, Abuja.