In the quest to survive and thrive for biodiversity conservation; aka WILDLIFE.

In many rural community-based areas like Tsavo and the Delta Tana region in Kenya, local community members and rural farmers are poaching out of necessity and basic subsistence, simply because people are starving and don’t have enough alternative ways to make a living, so they take risks to widen and expand their livelihood options and improve their situation. But the danger of bushmeat poaching brings humans into close contact with wildlife and can actually transmission diseases like Ebola as well as new infectious diseases. However, poachers/rural farmers continue to persist in hunting bushmeat, because they can earn more though hunting than though all other income generating options combined, and because of this, sadly, wildlife populations continue to plummet.

Community members need more, and better paying choices/opportunities by which to improve their livelihoods so they can stop poaching and turn to alternative ways to survive. It is challenging to think and to find ways to eradicate severe poverty and contribute to local rural economies. If a former poacher was to be paid to become an informant to a ranger team, could this be an alternative way for this person to make a living? All men, women and children need job opportunities to be able to thrive in their communities and live peacefully in their majestic and opulent landscape.

In this video, I spoke with honorary warden Raabia Hawa and local community rangers about how to eradicate poaching to create jobs in an improvised economy.

Get the word out.