• The fact that in spite of decades of international and local attempts at wildlife conservation, there is an escalation in the unsustainable utilization of wildlife, the destruction of wildlife eco-systems, the Bush meat crisis, the pet and souvenir trades;
• The fact that wildlife and habitats are still considered national heritages (Properties/Resources) at the disposal of national governments and yet most of these species are on the verge of extinction which is not only a national loss but a global loss;
• The fact that there is no official organ of the United Nations (like the ICJ or the ICC) with the mandate for decisive action to protect wildlife and habitats internationally;
• The fact that there are no legally binding and enforceable international laws protecting wildlife and habitats;
• The fact that all wildlife/habitat agreements/statutes and treaties rely on the "good will" and the priorities of local national governments to implement and or enforce them;
• The fact that some of the most endangered species are under governments plagued by corruption and/or dictatorial leaders propagating extinction with impunity;
• The fact that the local communities are defying the norms of their societies and are practicing indiscriminate destruction of wildlife and habitats for the short term economic gains;
• The perception by the communities that wildlife is of no long term value to them;
• The contrast in development between wildlife tourism infrastructure and local community infrastructure;
• Wildlife policies that prevent local communities from utilizing the natural resources with out providing viable alternatives of survival to these communities.
   

© Rhino Fund International

© Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM

The cause is agreeably multi-factorial but the following facts appear to be the predominant factors precipitating the problem:

• The absence of an official organ of the united nations(Like the ICJ or the ICC) with the mandate to address, protect and take action against the perpetration of the unsustainable utilization of wildlife and the indiscriminate destruction of eco-systems.
• The absence of binding and enforceable international laws protecting wildlife and eco-systems.
• The current perception that wildlife/habitats, some of which are on the verge of extinction are national properties at the disposal of the priorities of a nation.
• The laxity and failure to develop/agree on mechanisms to enforce the implementation and the fulfillment of conservation obligations by signatories to international conservation treaties and agreements.
• The exclusion and isolation of local communities by the advent of the commercialization and the development of the wildlife tourism industry. The in-situ tourism industry is currently a multi-million dollar industry, self sufficient and sustaining with the presence of wildlife. This is stressed by the fact that with in these so called “wildlife protected areas” harboring tourism niche, human habitation bears the full mark of the 21st century. Only a few kilometers away from these sites lies the epitome of human misery (local community settlements), lacking the very basics in infrastructure, sanitation (toilets and clean drinking water), education and a viable economy. Their suffering and misery being sold as part of the tourism package to depict third world misery. The communities have seen the growth of this industry and regrettably acknowledge that in spite of its current magnitude they have not received any meaningful long term community development and this from an industry that is a direct beneficiary of their assumed heritage.

Mweya safari lodge, Queen Elizabeth National Park vs. Local Community habitation

• These people with the greatest knowledge about the animals that we claim to conserve have further been driven off, ignored, discarded and abused by poorly researched and formulated policies lucking concepts that express the utmost need for: in-situ wildlife conservation, community based wildlife conservation, eco-tourism and tourism industry in-situ community development by the wildlife authorities and governments. Most current policies prevent the communities from utilizing natural resources (agriculture, fishing, timber, hunting and minerals) but offer no alternatives for survival of the communities.
• The fact that wildlife is only accessible to very few wealthy indigenous people, often from other parts of the country or region, mostly viewed as a source of amusement and fun for the western tourists.
• The fact is that these communities currently view wildlife as a source of problems rather than the source of long term development. The only value of wildlife at the moment to these communities is the short term individual benefits derived from the phenomenon now termed the Bush meat crisis.
• The increasing illiterate human populations, looking to wildlife as the only source of income.
• The extreme poverty of third world countries.
• Logging, mining, hunting and plantation concessions/licenses are being issued by corrupt governments with out scientific impact assessment studies and even the ability to monitor such operations in conservation areas and thus precipitated species extinction under the disguise of national development.
  The presence of multi-national logging, mining, plantation and hunting companies driven by greed/profit and with out regard for conservation have combined with poachers, the pet and souvenirs trades to prey up on the frustration of these communities to supply cheap meat to their workers and thus fuelled not only the genocide but also habitat destruction.

We all will conserve and strive to protect that which is valuable to us and how can we expect these people to participate fully in our conservation efforts if wildlife continues to be of absolute no, long term benefit to them?

© 2008 In-situ Wildlife Conservation - Webdesign pythonsite