COVID-19: Helping Wildlife or Endangering Conservation?

By Hannah Campbell

Social media is currently flooded with photos and stories of nature ‘thriving in lockdown’. We’re all loving the sight of clear Venetian canals and hearing that China is cracking down on the illegal wildlife trade. It’s certainly true that nature is securing short-term gains from an enforced reduction in destructive human behaviours, but this is masking a much more serious longer-term problem – that wildlife conservation is now under serious threat.

So what does the COVID-19 crisis really mean for wildlife and conservation?

Reduced Operating Budgets

Most conservation efforts worldwide depend on both the people who work in protected areas such as rangers, and the income from ecotourism. With social distancing and the travel ban, many conservation areas are left with a hugely reduced operating budget and workforce, leading to many challenges in continuing to protect critical wildlife habitat and the endangered and vulnerable species that it is home to.

Loisaba’s K9 unit out on patrol. Photo © Ami Vitali

 

Increased Security Risks

The reduced operating budget isn’t the only issue. With the tourism industry being hit country-wide and the global impact on the economy, Kenya has seen large scale job losses. In many areas, this means an increased poaching and security threat, with more people unemployed who may turn to crime in order to feed their families.

© Ami Vitali

 

Local Perceptions

With COVID-19 expected to cause a revenue loss of up to $450 billion in the tourism sector, many countries that rely heavily on the tourism industry (including Africa) will have less resources to devote to wildlife conservation. This, coupled with the fact that land currently used for conservation could also be used for agriculture, is a worrying thought for conservation. To justify the existence of conservation areas, economic and social benefits must be seen by the local populations and government.

Sakakei Naiptari prepares to milk his cows. Photo © Ami Vitale

Here at Loisaba, we provide benefits to community members that would not be possible if it weren’t for Wildlife Tourism, and the conservancy that attracts it. Health clinics, education days, scholarships, school infrastructure support, security services and many more benefits help community members place a value on wildlife. However, with the collapse of tourism, many conservation areas will no longer be able to offer these benefits to communities, endangering the positive connection local people have with the wildlife they share their space with.

Loisaba’s Clinical Health Officer, Kaltuma Dabaso, assisting at the local dispensary. © Roshni Lodhia

 

We need your help!

With the closure of Loisaba’s tourism properties, our operating budget has been reduced significantly – with a forecasted $1 million lost in revenue from tourism and other areas of income that would usually contribute toward wildlife security, conservancy operations and community outreach programmes.

If you would like to help us maintain zero poaching levels, keep our rangers on the ground, protect endangered species and support local communities who have no access to healthcare, please donate today.

Even a small donation will make a huge difference to Loisaba’s conservation and community development work.

Thank you, and stay safe.

1 reply
  1. Betty Adams
    Betty Adams says:

    Great article! This blog is very informative and educational. I hope many can get a chance to read this as this is very important topic to learn. It is indeed a duty of all of us to protect endangered species as we all live on the same planet. I also want to share something about PETAL wildlife conservationists through education. They are an organization that highly speaks of wildlife protection through their products. I support this group.

    Reply

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