African Parks, responsible for the management and restoration of three of Malawi’s parks, Liwonde National Park, Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve and Majete Wildlife Reserve, celebrated Earth Day this month looking back on the history of the iconic day and their achievements.
50 years ago, Earth Day was born out of a movement to prevent oil spills, to cease the wholesale slaughter of animals, and to stop human-made chemicals from contaminating our air, water, soil, and food. People saw the need for a healthy environment. They began demanding a future for nature, and for themselves.
Today, as a global pandemic sweeps across the planet, bringing countries to a virtual standstill, the message is louder than ever: we depend on nature for our survival. While COVID-19, like SARS, MERS, and HIV among others, has come from nature, it is our own actions that unleashed it. Our insatiable demand for space and resources has caused habitat destruction and the over-exploitation of wildlife, which we know is linked to the rise of infectious diseases and these epidemics.
With 17 parks in 11 countries under African Parks management, spanning over 13.3 million hectares, the team are safeguarding a significant portion of Africa’s biodiversity, preserving functioning ecosystems that sustain millions of people.
With close to 6,000 full and part time staff working across the continent to secure these landscapes, African Parks provide safe haven for people and wildlife alike. Their rangers and community development teams prevent habitat loss, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, and help communities to understand the link between environmental health and human health.
African Parks has had a significant imprint on Malawi’s wildlife and environment. Over the past decade, African Parks has turned Malawi into a leading safari destination, fully restocking the reserves with thousands of animals including the Big 5. Their work has included record breaking translocations and has even captured the eyes of Prince Harry who has assisted their mission in Malawi on multiple occasions and is now president of African Parks.
You can donate to their cause here.
Watch the video ‘Home Starts Here‘ released by African Parks on Earth Day 2020 here.
.jpg){kind=tracking}