Animal conservation is a topic that receives scant attention in Nigerian politics, often assessing the worth of wildlife solely by its economic value. Along the Nigeria-Cameroon border, diverse wildlife species not only shape the cultural identity and folklore of various ethnic groups, but also plays a pivotal role.
Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” features the tale of the tortoise and the birds, serving as a metaphor for colonial influence eroding cultural heritage. The cunning tortoise deceives birds into sharing their food and culture, exploiting their trust for personal gain. In African folklore, the tortoise is revered for its trickster nature and symbolises longevity.
Beyond its cultural significance, the tortoise plays a crucial ecological role. Its diet, which includes a variety of plants and fruits, aids in seed dispersal, fostering vegetation in its habitat. The tortoise’s burrowing behaviour aerates the soil, enhancing fertility and promoting water infiltration.
Similarly, the African Savanna elephant is often portrayed as a gentle giant that fertilises forests and creates pathways through dense vegetation, promoting the survival of various plant species and ensuring fauna diversity. They also excavate holes in shallow holes in the soil, providing additional water sources for other animals, thereby playing a crucial role in sustaining life in their natural habitat.
Despite their symbolic value, tortoises are often poached for their shells and elephants are illegally hunted for their ivory tusks.
Moreover, ongoing urbanisation in rural areas leads to habitat destruction, escalating human-animal conflicts.
Consequently, as habitats and food sources diminish, these animals exhibit heightened aggression. Wildlife, including elephants, baboons, monkeys, and antelopes, often raid agricultural fields in search of food. Elephants can cause significant damage to crops such as maize, sorghum, and fruits. This leads to economic losses for farmers who rely on these crops for their livelihood. Predators such as lions and hyenas may prey on livestock, causing losses for pastoralists and aggravating tensions between local communities and wildlife conservation efforts.
Furthermore, as human populations grow and expand into wildlife habitats, fragmentation occurs, leading to increased encounters between humans and wildlife. This encroachment limits the available space for wildlife and disrupts their natural behaviour, often forcing them to seek food and water in human settlements.
Regrettably, the safety and protection of these animals are seldom topics of conversation. The general absence of security for the rural farmers as well as the declining purchasing power of Nigerians will always take precedent before any other matters but even at the best of times it is a challenge to show the value of wildlife preservation to the average farmer in this country who has far more pressing issues than how expanding his crop fields will negatively affect the wildlife that regularly spoil his fields. Indeed, for such people there may be a vested interest in seeing this indigenous wildlife disappear indefinitely. There are also traditional practices such as hunting for subsistence or cultural rituals that may conflict with modern conservation principles. Balancing traditional practices with sustainable conservation efforts is one of the greatest challenges in animal protection efforts.
To encourage Nigerians to care about wildlife involves several approaches that address both awareness and practical involvement.
To begin with, there is a need for stronger policies and legislation that protect wildlife and their habitats, ensuring enforcement of wildlife protection laws and penalties for illegal wildlife trade and poaching.
At the local level, launching campaigns through media channels, schools and community events to educate people about the importance of wildlife conservation is apt. Highlighting the ecological roles of wildlife, their cultural significance and the threats they face may help foster empathy and understanding.
Involving young Nigerians through environmental education programmes, youth clubs and volunteer opportunities in wildlife conservation activities is good. Empowering youths to take leadership roles in conservation initiatives can cultivate a lifelong commitment to protecting wildlife.
Collaboration with non-governmental conservation organisations, academic institutions and international bodies to leverage expertise, resources and networks for effective conservation efforts are necessary. Building partnerships can enhance capacity-building and knowledge-sharing on wildlife conservation practices.
Most importantly, we will need the involvement of young Nigerians through environmental education programmes, youth clubs and volunteer opportunities in wildlife conservation activities. Empowering youth to take leadership roles in conservation initiatives can cultivate a lifelong commitment to protecting wildlife.
Ultimately changing the hearts and behaviours towards wildlife conservation in Nigeria requires a multifaceted approach that addresses socio-economic, cultural and governance challenges. By promoting awareness, fostering community engagement, supporting sustainable development initiatives and strengthening legal and institutional frameworks, Nigeria can safeguard its rich biodiversity for future generations. Collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector is essential to achieve lasting conservation impact.
Together, we can create a future where Nigerians not only care for wildlife, but actively contribute to its preservation and sustainable coexistence with human communities.
Ibrahim wrote from Abuja
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