African Wildlife

Importance

Africa is host to the most spectacular and varied mammal species’ on the planet. The African landscape throbs with life - lions, cheetahs, elephants, rhinos, gorillas, zebras, and giraffes may be some of the most famous faces of African wildlife, but Africa’s smallest creatures have an important role too. Every living thing in Africa is part of the circle of life. Loss of even the smallest species can have an irreversible impact on the African ecosystem.

Threats

For thousands of years, the wildlife and people of Africa have co-existed in balance. However in the 20th century, wildlife began experiencing escalating pressure from a growing human population and its effects, in addition to habitat destruction, spread of disease, and over overhunting. The balance has been upset resulting in a sharp decline of many African wildlife populations.

Humans are the greatest threat to many animals in Africa. As human populations expand, animals lose their habitat to settlements and agriculture. Human wars destroy animals and the lands they live in. Humans take birds and fish for food and for sport. All of these events limit the ability of wildlife to survive and thrive in their natural environment. The only way to conserve Africa’s wildlife – big or small – is to help humans find economic and social alternatives to habitat and wildlife destruction.

Solutions

In order to regain balance, effective wildlife conservation is needed to address the needs of both humans and animals - The African Wildlife Foundation is doing just that.

Like wildlife everywhere, the wildlife of Africa needs vast open landscapes to live, move and propagate. Isolated islands of protected land will not suffice to ensure that wildlife survives and thrives. Successful conservation efforts look beyond human borders to balance the needs of wildlife and people at the landscape level. AWF’s species conservation explores human-wildlife conflict - from the effects of poaching to patterns of predator attacks on livestock - and builds programs that benefit both humans and animals. In addition, AWF invests heavily in education and sustainable development so that the people of Africa can lead in conserving their homeland.

About African Wildlife Foundation

The African Wildlife Foundation is a dynamic non-profit organization that is working on all levels to ensure that Africa’s wild resources endure. AFW’s mission is to conserve wildlife, protect land, and empower people. Their strategy begins with conservation of habitat and ecosystems and transcends to the people of Africa. We feel confident that our donation to the African Wildlife Foundation will positively contribute to victorious conservation efforts in the Heartlands of Africa.

Raise further awareness by adding an embroidery phrase to your clothing

• Preserve & Protect
• Save African Wildlife
• Save a Species
• Letters For A Cause

Resources

• http://www.awf.org/
• http://www.tusk.org/
• http://www.conserveafrica.org.uk/index.php
• http://www.africanconservation.org/

Click Here to learn more about The African Wildlife Foundation