The Problem

You have now heard of the alarming trend in the decline in African Wildlife populations! Nikela’s has chosen to focus on South Africa where a large portion of the world’s Wildlife lives and where the most good can still be accomplished to reverse this trend.

The Trend
According to a recent U.N. Environmental Programme study for Africa, “big mammal populations inside national parks declined 59 percent between 1970 and 2005”.

Isn’t it dreadful to know that more than half are gone?!

And that’s not all, the rate is increasing…”there has been a dramatic surge in illegal Wildlife trafficking since 2005.” UN Wildlife trade meeting in March (2010)

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.

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.

Target South Africa
The Mother Lode of Wildlife
Surprisingly, South Africa with only 1% of the earth’s total land mass has almost 10% of the world’s total known bird, fish and plant species, and over 6% of the world’s mammal and reptile species.

By acting swiftly to shore up its rapidly weakening defenses and attitudes, South Africa can be the model of conservation around the world.

Protect & Advocate
Naming a few who once roamed the plains freely; giraffe, hippo, zebra, wildebeest and the Big Five (elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo), along with over 200 species of mammals and over 80 species of birds of prey. Many now owe their very existence to Game Parks and Reserves. Most of these safe havens are dependent on private resources, both expertise and monetary.

There is an urgent need for funding in support of:

• Protection efforts in areas of anti-poaching, rescue/rehabilitate/release, habitat rescue and creation, Wildlife substitute research, along with others.
• Advocate efforts to change attitudes through education and long term compassion building experiences which gain commitments to speak up and be involved.

Ian and Michele Merrifield of Daktari Bush School and Wildlife Orphanage shared a Ranger report of a student who told his father not to kill the Leopard that was killing their animals but to call the reserve to pick up the Leopard. That is what he had learned was the right thing to do and he cared enough to do it.

Major Secondary Affects
South Africa has made many powerful changes since Apartheid was set aside. Yet there are still some major struggles. The OECD’s and the South African Government’s recent assessments identify two of the biggest structural challenges facing South Africa as; “its failing schools… and extreme and sustained unemployment, which now exceeds 50% among black youth”.

Any effort to improve the conditions for Wildlife needs to also impact the education and unemployment crisis in South Africa.

Advocating for the protection of Wildlife has a profound effect on all involved whether donors, students, villagers, local teachers and leaders, conservationists and national leaders. Administered correctly, there will be an important influence in levels of compassion, education, leadership potential, pride in the countries unique position in the world, and job creation.

The Reason
Remember how much of the world pushed for major changes for South Africa in 1997? We also enjoyed getting close again by sharing the World soccer cup. She has the richest Wildlife resources on the planet. Now we must not abandon her heroic efforts and help where we can.

While living in the Philippines for 5 years we witnessed firsthand the end result of failed government policies and environmental apathy. Some scientists have even concluded that environmental efforts should be put elsewhere, claiming the Philippines to be a lost cause. In his book ‘Requiem for Nature’ John Terborgh writes the “overpopulated… Philippines are already beyond the point of no return.”

On coming home Margrit swore that she wasn’t going to allow the same fate to befall her beloved South Africa and its greatest treasure, the Wildlife.

So, why save the Wildlife? 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 beasts
Also happens to man.
All things are connected.
Whatever befalls the earth,
Befalls the sons of the earth.”

Today, more than a century later the Chief Executive of the South African National Parks said, “The kind of people we are arresting (for poaching) are also… involved in crimes such as human trafficking, drug-trafficking, vehicle hijacking, murder, bank robberies etc. It is a war out there!”

Isn’t it interesting that helping people saving Wildlife… saves us also?