One way of overcoming the obstacle of isolated animal groups is to create corridors of natural habitat. These corridors are strips of savanna and forest land linking wildlife sanctuaries and large wildlife parks. Creating these natural corridors requires cooperation between neighbouring countries because the natural environment does not follow borders. The animals must be free to roam through uninterrupted habitats and several countries may have to cooperate in order to create one wildlife corridor.
Research
The more we know about animals and their habitats, the more capable we are to help them. Research is an important part of conservation. Humans need to learn more about animal ecology and biology and their requirements with regard to habitat and breeding. Conservation efforts can only be more effective once we have a complete understanding of the animal kingdom and their surroundings.
Public Education
Public education is important in the conservation movement. As more people become aware of the problems facing the African animals, the more people are making an effort to help them. Travelling museums, seminars, and public talks are some of the ways to let the public know about conservation and the African animals. Lots of information is available now to help people understand the problems facing African animals.
Reintroduction
Reintroduction involves re-introducing an animal to places where they have been forced to leave or where numbers have been largely reduced. Farmlands are now being reclaimed for wildlife and threatened species are being reintroduced to their old habitats. Reintroduction is a very complicated and difficult process. Physically moving the animals to their new home is difficult and then the animals have to acclimatise and get used to their new home. Large carnivores, such as cheetahs and lions, have a strong homing instinct and after being taken from their home range they may attempt to head back to their previous habitat.
Translocation
Wildlife translocation is a special procedure for the movement of animal wildlife. It involves capturing wild animals that are in danger or threatened with extinction, and moving them to a safer environment, such as wildlife parks. The animals are darted with a specialised tranquilliser dart putting them to sleep while a veterinarian examines them. The animal is loaded into a specially constructed crate for safe transportation. They are then released into their new home. Translocation is an attempt to protect wild animals.
Dehorning
Several southern African countries have experimented with rhino dehorning projects in an effort to make the rhino worthless to poachers. Namibia was first to undertake dehorning in the late 1980s when it dehorned the Damaraland rhino population. Zimbabwe also began a dehorning program with approximately 150 black rhinos dehorned in 1992. Dehorning is considered a protection strategy, an attempt to deter poachers from killing the rhinos. There are drawbacks though to this approach. Often a poacher will still kill a rhino because they shoot from a distance and cannot see that it has been dehorned.
In other instances, the poacher will still kill the rhino in order to remove the horn stub that remains after the dehorning process. Dehorning could also have negative effects on the rhino itself. The social and reproductive behaviour of the rhino may be affected. Lastly, dehorning is an expensive process. The horn is made from keratin which means the horn grows back when it is cut, just as the human hair and fingernails do. Dehorning operations therefore need to be carried out every two or three years and cost about $1,500 per animal.
Wildlife Sanctuaries
Africa has some of the world┐s best wildlife sanctuaries. The Kruger National Park in South Africa, Etosha National Park in Namibia, Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, and the Chobe National Park in Botswana are just some of them. Wild animals have thrived in these environments. Many wildlife sanctuaries though have become ┐islands┐ surrounded by human settlement. This isolates the mammals in the sanctuaries cutting them off from the natural wilderness and other mammals of their kind.
Protective Laws
African animals can be protected under wildlife legislation. Poaching and illegal trade can be controlled with rigid laws. International bans on trade can also help. Many animals are already protected under wildlife legislation, but tighter control and law enforcement can only help.
Reproduction Technology
Reproduction technology is a positive method of dealing with the problem of inbreeding and lack of genetic diversity in the African animal population. Reproduction technology refers to techniques such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer and in-vitro (test tube) fertilisation. These techniques introduce new genes to a distinct animal population. Females in a particular area can be inseminated with sperm from a male in another region, without the need to relocate the animals. The sperm is taken from the male and inserted in a female far away. Animals from completely separate regions can breed without the cost and trouble of transporting the animals. Taking animals out of their habitat and introducing them to a new habitat often causes problems. These techniques create a global gene pool that is not restricted by distance.
The biological material (sperm and egg-cells) from rare and endangered wildlife are collected and stored, and are used to produce embryos via in-vitro fertilisation. When the numbers of a rare species get very low, biologists can use these embryos to breed more of that animal. Sperm and egg-cells can also be collected from dead animals and stored for future use. These techniques are the only conservation tools that allow a dead animal to be part of the breeding process. A network of people rescue viable egg-cells and sperms from live and deceased animals, transporting them to a central place for storage. This saves the sperm and eggs from endangered animals that have died.
These techniques mean that dominant males accept new-born cubs as their own. Ordinarily males will kill cubs belonging to other males, but using reproduction techniques the males believe the cubs are their young. Another positive aspect is that the cubs are born into their environment and are therefore born with the immunity required for survival in that area. They are better adapted to their environment as opposed to cubs that are relocated and don┐t have the required immunity.
Best of all, these incredible procedures facilitate the exchange of genes between animals in captivity and animals in the wild, which widens the gene pool and protects animals from the negative effects of inbreeding. The genetic material can also be used in research and education.