EU initiative to counteract African wildlife crisis

African wildlife is facing an unprecedented crisis. Currently, about 5,000 African flora and fauna species, which represents 27% of all species assessed on the continent, are listed on the IUCN Red List threatened with extinction. The main threats to African wildlife are weak governance, poaching and wildlife trafficking, and the loss of habitats through land conversion and climate change. In addition, wild species are used unsustainably for purposes such as firewood and bushmeat.

 The European Commission is developing a Wildlife Conservation Strategy (Larger than Elephants: Inputs for the design of an EU Strategic Approach to Wildlife Conservation in Africa) to counteract this crisis, and has invited input from stakeholders at a recently organised conference. The meeting gathered over 150 experts from Europe, Africa from both governmental and intergovernmental institutions as well as non-governmental organizations.

Read more: http://www.iucn.org/news_homepage/all_news_by_region/news_from_west_and_central_africa/?18925/EU-initiative-to-counteract-African-wildlife-crisi