encouraging empathy for other life

We protect what we know and love.

 

The wildlife of Africa is in trouble. Elephants are killed every day for ivory. Rhinos are facing extinction in the few places where they are left, for vanity products made from their horn. Giraffes, lions, cheetahs, leopards — these and other species are rapidly disappearing in many areas. It is heartbreaking to imagine that the savannas and forests of Africa could one day be silent.

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Much of the conservation effort today has been focused on stopping poaching and trafficking — by cracking down on criminal networks and poachers, fighting corruption, and ending the demand for wildlife products in Asia. But another important piece is often neglected: the role of communities who live among the wildlife. If the wild animals of Africa are to survive and thrive in the long term, solutions need to come from people who have always lived alongside them. With a rapidly growing human population in our world, there's no doubt that human-wildlife conflict will escalate. To make matters worse, many children living on the edge of wildlife habitats are so separated from the animals now that they have never even seen them. How can they care about something — and fight to protect it in the years ahead — if it's no longer part of their lives?

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It is vital to involve the next generation in conservation, including taking children in the Mara out into the wildlife preserves to witness the animals firsthand — nurturing the curiosity and affection that children naturally feel. Remarkably, without these experiences, many of these children would never have any exposure to the wildlife that people from other countries and continents travel thousands of miles to see. This wildlife and this ecosystem is their heritage, a treasure no one else in the world has.

 

At the same time, a local approach to conservation will help preserve the culture of the Maasai, traditions that have evolved from living on this land for millennia. Their wisdom includes practices for coexisting with and respecting the animals. In fact, it can be said that there are so many animals in the Mara today because of the people. These traditions, merged with science and modern conservation techniques, will help the next generation create their own path to sustainable coexistence.

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—Barb, 2017