Group Moves To Tackle Wildlife Poaching, Trafficking

A group, Wild Africa, yesterday said it has concluded plans to launch music for wildlife and hold a dynamic concert series aimed at bringing African artists together to protect the continent’s iconic wildlife against poaching and trafficking.

The group in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP Sunday posited that the music, produced by Wild Africa, a non-profit organisation inspiring the protection of Africa’s wildlife and wild spaces, and with OASISONE, Music for Wildlife now sees Africa’s creative talent and natural heritage celebrated globally, reaching more than 350 million people.

According to Wildlife Africa, the continent home to a quarter of the world’s biodiversity, faces enormous challenges – from poaching to habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade to climate change and human-wildlife conflict, adding that Wildlife populations calling the continent home have plunged by 66 per cent in the last 50 years according to WWF’s Living Planet Report.

They pointed out that Nigeria, once home to rhinos, giraffes, and cheetahs faces rapid biodiversity loss rates, saying with just 50 West African lions, about 100 Cross River gorillas, and a couple hundred elephants, many species stand on the brink.

According to the UN, the country also has the highest rate of deforestation in the world, losing 3.7 per cent of vitally important forest each year and has emerged as an export hub for the illegal trade in pangolin scales and ivory.

“This kind of impact is the aim of partnerships between artists Trace, OASISONE, and Wild Africa, as each makes clear.

“Africans should care about protecting wildlife. Wildlife and national parks create a lot of jobs in Africa, such as attracting tourists from across the world. Let’s use music and arts, to protect our amazing wildlife,” noted Focalistic, one of the early pioneers of Amapiano and multi-award-winning rapper, singer, songwriter and global superstar.”