Securing
a #Future4GreatApes Campaign Officially Launches
NAIROBI,
KENYA///News Advisory/// (October 14, 2020) Following a
successful campaign on zoonosis in Africa, The African CSOs Biodiversity
Alliance (ACBA) are set to launch the ‘Securing
a #Future4GreatApes Campaign’ on Friday 16 October, 2020. This two-week campaign is aimed at
highlighting the conservation status of Great Apes in Africa, the important
roles they play, the growing threats to their survival and the recommended
actions that need to be taken to protect this iconic species.
The coalition of over 50 organizations have been
developing a series of policy briefs and case studies that will inform Africa’s
biodiversity priorities for the next 10 years. This campaign is guided by a
recently developed policy brief on ‘Great Ape Tourism in Africa’, written by
the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) and Conservation
through Public Health (CTPH).
Africa is home to four Great Ape species – gorillas
(eastern and western gorillas), bonobos and chimpanzees, distributed in over 20
African countries. Unfortunately, all of these species, and their various
subspecies, are either endangered or critically endangered according to the IUCN
red list of threatened species.
In the face of COVID-19, there is greater urgency for
African governments to demonstrate commitment to protecting the endangered and
critically endangered populations of Great Apes in Africa by enforcing the
great ape tourism best practices.
The theme for the first of the two scheduled webinars
seeks to answer the query ‘Why and How should we secure a future for Great
Apes?’ The rich panel consists of two global leaders and experts in ape conservation;
Dr. Gladys Kalema Zikusoka, CEO Conservation through Public Health (CTPH) based
in Uganda and Anna Behm Masozera, Director International Gorilla Conservation
Programme (IGCP) based in Rwanda. To register for this webinar, click here.
Similar to the recently concluded ACBA
#OurNatureOurHealth campaign, bi-lingual infographics and a short documentary
will be released in the lead up to the
second webinar on October 23, 2020 aimed at providing more insights and recommendations to tour
operators and donors on best conservation practices post-COVID-19.
ABOUT
THE AFRICAN CSOs BIODIVERSITY ALLIANCE (ACBA)
Founded
in February 2020, ACBA is a coalition of like-minded African
organizations that have come together to engage with the post 2020 GBF to
achieve the following vision “Africa's biodiversity thrives and underpins
equitable, socially economically resilient livelihoods based on the rights of
people to sustainably use their natural resources”
MEDIA
CONTACT: For interviews,
contact Simangele Msweli, simangelemmsweli@gmail.com and Olivia Tawarar oliviahchepkemoi@gmail.com