Could the pandemic threaten the survival of Africa’s wildlife?
Game reserves that rely on tourism are running out of money to protect the animals.
Africa’s wildlife is one of the continent’s biggest attractions.
Game reserves and national parks welcome millions of visitors every year, who want to experience wild animals up close.
They rely on that revenue to pay for conservation projects.
But now, revenue flow has stopped entirely because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
And many rangers who protect the animals from poachers have lost their incomes.
Conservationists are worried the economic toll could push more people into the illegal wildlife trade.
So, will decades of work to protect wild animals be lost?
Presenter: Nick Clark
Guests:
Daniel Sopia – Chief executive officer of Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association
Craig Millar – Head of security of Big Life Foundation who leads anti-poaching operations and manages 300 rangers across East Africa
Kaddu Sebunya – Chief executive officer of the African Wildlife Foundation