THE United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 68th ordinary session has proclaimed March 3 as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora.
Report by Staff Reporter
The declaration was made last week.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) spokesperson Caroline Washaya Moyo said the deliberate move to raise awareness on both the flora and fauna would help protect and conserve some of the species that were facing extinction while promoting sustainable use on those species whose population figures are still sound.
She said: “The authority says the day will be commemorated next year with plans to engage its stakeholders to help make the day a success already underway.” In Zimbabwe, several wildlife species including black and white rhino, cheetah and pangolin are now under threat of extinction.
In its resolutions, the UNGA reaffirmed the intrinsic value of wildlife and its various contributions, including ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational and aesthetic, to sustainable development and human well-being, and recognised the important role of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in ensuring that international trade does not threaten the species’ survival.
