Wildlife Day: Agency procures guinea pig, spotted hyena, others for Kano zoo

Kano Zoological Garden and Wildlife Management Agency, has procured guinea pigs, parrots, strip and spotted hyenas for the zoo in Kano.

The Managing Director, Alhaji Lawan Jinjiri, made the disclosure in a statement signed by the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Hadiyatullah Garba-Umar, on Friday in Kano.

Jinjiri said World Wildlife Day, celebrated globally every March 3, was to ensure international trade did not pose a threat to survival of species.

The theme for the 2023 celebration is: “Partnership for Wildlife Conservation.

According to him, the aim of the celebration is to celebrate world’s wild animals and plants, and also their contributions to living and health.

He further said the day was set aside to: “To create awareness through multitude benefits conservation and provide to ecosystem, because illegal hunting endangers animals’ lives, and reduces species.”

The agency’s helmsman called on Nigerians to collaborate with the state government, to eradicate illegal hunting and deforestation.

According to him, deforestation leads to desert encroachment, soil erosion and other environmental hazards.

He further said billions of people globally were benefitting daily from the use of wildlife species for food, energy, medicine and recreation.

Speaking earlier at the event, the Deputy Director of the Agency, Hajiya Hafsat Bello-Adamu, said the day was an opportunity to celebrate the different animal species.

Bello-Adamu therefore said there was need to step up efforts against human induced reduction of species through collaboration between government, the public and relevant stakeholders.

Bello-Adamu urged relevant stakeholders to spread the word of wildlife, especially to children and youths, who were the future leaders of wildlife conservation.