Conserving Wildlife (African Wildlife Foundation)

1. Many declining wildlife populations need to increase their numbers to survive.

2. They also need an intact habitat where they can thrive without the growing pressures from human populations.

3. Effective wildlife conservation means recognizing this complex human-wildlife dynamic and implementing programs to address the needs of both humans and animals.

4. Conservation of the African elephant poses special challenges. While the overall elephant population is half of what it was 40 years ago, some regions of Africa have more elephants than populated areas can support.

5. Successful conservation strategies must allow elephants to range freely in their natural habitats while reducing crop-raiding and other conflicts between elephants and local people and encourage peaceful co-existence.

6. Caught in the middle of this social and economic crisis are the endangered mountain gorillas of the Virunga Heartland, whose future is linked with the peace and prosperity of the lands they inhabit.

7. Lions, cheetah and hyenas are the main natural predators of Grevy's zebras, but humans are responsible for the drastic decline of this species in recent years.

8. Today, habitat loss and fragmentation are their greatest threats.

9. Working with the community to develop income-generating projects like ecotourism will reduce the pressure on pastoralists to have more and more livestock.

10. Isolated islands of protected land will not suffice to ensure that wildlife survives and thrives.