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Conservation in the African Forest
The African Forest is not one place; it is a dozen countries, a hundred cultures, a thousand small worlds. It is misunderstood, exciting and mysterious – virtually unparalleled in terms of the richness and diversity of its habitats, its flora and fauna, and its distinctive cultures.
For years, the Houston Zoo has directed conservation activities and research in countries across the globe, recently placing a special emphasis on the equatorial regions of Africa. It is our hope that through their experience of the animals and the culture of this distant place, our guests and local community will be inspired by The African Forest.
There are few places left on earth where humans do not co-exist with native wildlife. There are few national parks and protected areas on earth where humans did not co-exist with wildlife before these park boundaries were put in place. And there are even fewer places where the decision to designate a protected area does not somehow intimately affect the human population living around its borders.
If we take the ability for native people to co-exist with their habitat away from them without offering a sustainable solution, then wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are bound to fail. The most successful wildlife conservation efforts are those in which indigenous communities are empowered in the management of local natural resources and supported through capacity building programs.
Conservation is more than just protecting a species in the wild, and that is where zoos can play an important role. The Houston Zoo Wildlife Conservation Program works with partners in the field to support and protect wildlife and their habitats by combining conservation with education and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods in local communities. Promoting these efforts and their messages to our 1.7 million annual visitors here in Houston is the first step in educating our guests to the issues facing wildlife in some of the few remaining wild places on earth.
We truly believe experiencing nature will inspire you to protect it, whether it is in Texas or the forests of Africa. If we want to ensure the survival of wildlife in Africa, their habitats, and the human cultures we need to convince everyone to care. It is our hope that The African Forest here in Houston will help you do so.
Learn more about how you can help the Conservation efforts of the African Forest!
Learn more about how you can help the Conservation efforts of the African Forest!
