More than half are gone! REUTERS reports, that according to a recent study, over half of the large mammals have disappeared from African game parks since the ‘70s. That’s from the game parks! The very places that are supposed to keep them safe!
And that's not all...
…”there has been a dramatic surge in illegal wildlife trafficking since 2005. A UN wildlife trade meeting in March (2010) said there was a booming black market for African ivory, linked to Asian crime syndicates.”
The Strait Times, May 6 2010
“Black-market demand for rhino horn has soared in the past several years, largely due to the economic boom in east and southeast Asia, where the horn is used for medicinal purposes.”
SAPA, News24.com, March 21 2010
“Conservationists in South Africa are warning that vultures could soon become extinct because they are being hunted down for use by traditional healers.”
Karen Allen, BBC News, April 18 2010
In the time is takes you to read this page, one of our planet’s unique species will become extinct. By this time tomorrow, a further 150–200 will have disappeared forever. And by this time next year, over 50,000 more (World Wildlife Fund.)
One in four of the world’s mammals are now threatened with extinction in the near future. So are one in eight birds, one in five sharks, one in four coniferous trees, and one in three amphibians.
With a land surface area of 1,1 million km2 (683,508 square miles) - representing just 1% of the earth's total land surface - South Africa contains almost 10% of the world's total known bird, fish and plant species, and over 6% of the world's mammal and reptile species.
South Africa is home to one of the most exclusive and vulnerable group of animals on the planet, “The Big Five” (the elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo), two of which are on the World Wildlife Funds endangered species list, the rhino and elephant. Well over 200 species of mammals are found in South Africa.
While giraffe, hippo, zebra and wildebeest once roamed the plains freely, many owe their very existence to Game Parks and Reserves. Many of these safe havens are dependent on private resources, both expertise and monetary.
By and large the cause of the alarming rate of wildlife loss is human activities, related to population growth and economic decline which has increased wildlife trafficking for meat, adornment and medicinal purposes.
Chief Seathl, wrote in his 1885 letter to the President of the United States:
“What is man without the beast?If all the beasts were gone,Man would die from a great loneliness of spirit.For whatever happens to the beastsAlso happens to man.All things are connected.Whatever befalls the earth,befalls the sons of the earth.”
Today, more than a century later Dr. Mabunda, Chief Executive of the South African National Parks while speaking on the recent increase of rhino killings for their horns stated:
“The kind of people we are arresting are also… involved in crimes such as human trafficking, drug-trafficking, vehicle hijacking, murder, bank robberies etc. It is a war out there!”
Dr. Mabunda said further that the demand for rhino horn is driven by a combination of endemic poverty in many rhino habitats and the existence of a lucrative black market niche in South East Asia for medicinal purposes.
Although the government continues to support the few large game reserves like the world famous Kruger National Park, most conservation efforts in South Africa are driven by local wildlife lovers and activist.
With your help there is hope... read, The Solution.
