By Okeoghene Oghenekaro
Abuja – Dr Ibrahim Goni, the Conservator- General, National Park Service, has stressed the need to conserve life both on land and anything below the water to halt biodiversity loss.
Goni said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) against the backdrop of the World Wildlife Day, celebrated annually on March 3.
The theme for the World Wildlife Day 2020 is “Sustaining all life on Earth”.
He said that the service would always join the world in wildlife conservation, adding that “wildlife is incalculable’’.
Goni said the World Wildlife Day was an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora, and to raise awareness on the multitude of benefits that their conservation provides to people.
According to conservation general, wildlife refers to undomesticated animal species and plants that live and grow in an area without being introduced by humans.
He said that they include all mammals, birds, rainforests, grasslands, encompassing all wild animal and plant species as a component of biodiversity.
“These animals and plants have economic, environmental and social impacts in our lives.
“Their intrinsic values contribute to the ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational and aesthetic aspects of human well being.
“We depend on the constant interplay and inter-linkages between all elements of the biosphere for all our needs.
“They include the air we breathe, the food we eat, the energy we use, and the materials we need for all purposes,’’ he said.
Goni said that unsustainable human activities and over exploitation of the species and natural resources were imperilling the world’s biodiversity.
He said that there was an urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species.
“Look at the recent cruel and barbaric treatment meted to a stray manatee, an animal found in Delta state and the cannibalisation of a whale washed ashore in Ijaw Kiri community waterfront in Brass, Akpoama in 2019.
“It is illegal to hunt these animals since they are endangered species and therefore should be protected as part of our environment.”
Goni said that the service would continue to sensitise the public on the need to preserve and conserve the nation’s biodiversity.
“We will continue to use any opportunity we have to educate the public on the importance of wildlife in our environment and our wellbeing in general.
“However, ignorance of the law is not an excuse so anyone caught violating environmental laws will be arrested and prosecuted.
“They should be punished so that it will serve as a deterrent to others,’’ he said.
(NAN)