By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Conservator General, National Park Service (NPK),Ibrahim Goni, said that collaboration of all stakeholders is key to biodiversity conservation.
Goni spoke on the backdrop of the recent event of a lion that Kano State government took to Karu Nassarawa State for an agric show that bolted from its mobile crate and was wandering inside the zoo.
“The Kano State government contacted us and we immediately deployed our team of experts lead by a veterinary doctor of the Service, Conservator of Park (CP) Abdulrahaman Mohammed to the state for professional intervention.
“The collaboration between our professionals and the management of the Kano state zoo paid off, and this led to the safe return of the lion to its cage in the zoo”.
A statement signed by Media Assistant to the Conservator-General,
Yakubu Zull,said he commended the team for a job well done because according to him, transferring wildlife, especially carnivores and dangerous ones like lions, is a tricky task that requires meticulous planning.
“Lions present particular transportation challenges because of their size and the danger they pose to humans, so to handle them must be well planned, prepared and effectively executed.
“The more we understand about how these animals behave, the easier it would be for them to be handled without harm to the animals and/or to humans”,Goni emphasized .
The CG further noted that although conservation might look like a big problem that’s best left to the experts to solve, there are small changes that we all can make in our everyday lives to conserve the nation’s biodiversity.
He commended the Kano sate zoo management for doing the right thing by contacting the Service for professional help that averted possible calamity, unlike the whale that was washed ashore recently in Bayelsa state.
Recall that few months ago, a whale measuring about 30 feet was washed ashore at Ijaw kiri community water front, Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.
Instead of calling on the appropriate authorities to handle it, some people in the community decided to subject the beached whale to an untidy fate.
Consequently, Zoo Managers should also pay attention to the welfare, training of Zoo curators, use of appropriate materials in the zoos and timely feeding of animals etc.
“We will continue to raise awareness through developing working relationships of mutual support with other organizations who share our goals.
“Biodiversity should be a top priority if we must achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The SDGs acknowledge the clear connection between environment and development by integrating sustainability in all 17 of the Global Goals.
“SDG 15 aims to, ‘Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss,” he said .
