WildAfrica

Africa is home to some of the world’s most iconic wildlife, but on #EndangeredSpeciesDay we’re shining a light on critically endangered species many people have never even heard of. 🐾 Get to know five rare animals on the brink of extinction: 🐢 The Geometric Tortoise - Found only in South Africa, this tortoise is famous for its star-like patterns on its shell. Fewer than 800 individuals are left in the wild due to habitat loss caused by human activity. 🦍 The Cross River Gorilla - The world’s rarest great ape has an estimated 250 individuals left in the wild, threatened by habitat destruction, poaching and snares set for the illegal bushmeat trade. 🎋 The Golden Bamboo Lemur - Endemic to Madagascar’s rainforests, fewer than 250 mature individuals remain in the wild as bamboo harvesting destroys their habitat. 🫏 The African Wild Donkey - Believed to be the ancestor of all domestic donkeys, this species has declined to just 23–200 mature individuals due to hunting and competition for resources. 🦌 The Addax - Only 30–90 addaxes have survived the harsh conditions of the Sahara, pushed to the brink of extinction because of hunting and oil exploration. These species may not be as famous as the “Big Five”, but they are just as important to healthy ecosystems. By raising awareness, we can help protect them before they disappear forever. 💚

📲 WhatsApp “Hi” to +263 78 727 6366 for help on living with elephants! Or click the link in our bio. Wildlife Info is a free WhatsApp toolkit in English or Ndebele with practical tips on living safely alongside 🐘 elephants, and other animals like 🦁 lions, 🐊 crocodiles, 🐒 baboons, 🦛 hippos and more. It’s easy to use and inside you'll get👇 
 🌱 Practical tips to help prevent human–wildlife conflict, including crop damage and livestock losses. 🐘 Safety advice on elephant and other wildlife behaviour. 🚫 Info on how to report wildlife crime or injured animals. 📚 Easy-to-follow visual guides, tips and interactive learning tools. Brought to you by Wild Africa, @_zimparks , @savetheelephants , @elephantcrisisfund , and @action4wildlife . Supported by Tikobane Trust, and @connected.conservation .

REPORT: By protecting Africa’s savannas, grasslands and forests, the continent could help mitigate up to 1.6 gigatons of carbon emissions every year 🌍📉 Although Africa contributes only 4% of global emissions, the continent is disproportionately affected by climate impacts. “The African continent has been warming at a slightly faster rate than the global average, at about +0.3°C per decade between 1991 and 2023.” – World Meteorological Organization From heatwaves and droughts to heavy rains and floods, vulnerable people and wildlife are under threat. But there is hope! A new roadmap, created by @conservationorg and the Future Ecosystems for Africa programme at @wits__university , outlines actions that can protect nature while supporting communities and economic growth, including: 🐾 Expanding protected areas and community zones to secure wildlife habitats. 🌳 Using low-impact logging and better forest management to protect forests and store carbon. 🍃 Sustaining savannas and woodlands through responsible fuelwood harvesting. 🐮 Balancing sustainable livestock and fire management to keep grasslands healthy. 🌾 Improving soil and crop health with nature-friendly farming methods like agroforestry. 🍛 Reducing food loss and waste across supply chains. 🌱 Supporting the regrowth of forests and wetlands by planting native species. 🌊 Protecting coastal ecosystems through marine parks, sustainable fish farming and mangrove planting. Protecting nature is one of Africa’s greatest climate opportunities, and investing in conservation means investing in our future 🌍💚 Read more via the link in bio.

Did you know? Up to 75% of 𝗻𝗲𝘄 contagious diseases in humans come from some wild animals, according to the @who . These are known as zoonotic diseases, and they can have devastating effects. 💔 🐒 When the demand for bushmeat drives people deeper into natural habitats in search of animals like monkeys and pangolins, which are then transported back to cities, the chances of disease outbreaks rises. Diseases such as Ebola, anthrax, and mpox can spread more easily under these conditions, putting public health at serious risk. 🩺 @aproko_doctor , media personality and Wild Africa ambassador, warns: “This would affect our health, our economy, and our general well-being.” Say NO 🚫 to illegal bushmeat—to protect both animals and people!

When we build roads, fences, and settlements across the ancient pathways animals use to roam, conflict between wildlife and humans becomes inevitable. 🚧 @cody_rankmarshall_official , comedian, influencer and Wild Africa ambassador, explains it simply: Imagine the road you take every day is suddenly blocked by a wall. Your routine is disrupted and you are forced into spaces you don’t belong. By creating ‘Room to Roam’, we allow animals to move safely away from human settlements. This not only protects wildlife, but also helps reduce conflict, crop loss and property damage. Key to creating these corridors of coexistence is community engagement. As @ifawglobal notes, “When communities are engaged as key stakeholders, they are more likely to participate in wildlife protection programs benefitting their daily lives.” 🤝 By giving wildlife the space they need, we create a safer, more balanced world for everyone. Because protecting nature protects us all. #RoomToRoam

Rising demand for lion parts, including bones, teeth, skin, and claws, is pushing these already endangered animals closer to extinction 📉 A report by @natgeo highlights a disturbing increase in poaching to supply the growing illegal wildlife trade across Africa and Asia 💔 This demand is driven by a complex mix of cultural and commercial factors. In parts of Africa, lion skins and amulets are sought for spiritual protection, while in Southeast Asia, lion bones are increasingly used as a substitute for rare tiger parts in traditional “medicines” and status-symbol wines. 🦁🍃 As apex predators and keystone species, lions play a critical role in maintaining healthy and balanced ecosystems. Through their hunting and territorial presence, they regulate prey populations, prevent overgrazing, and leave behind remains that sustain a wide range of scavengers, including hyenas and vultures. By strengthening conservation efforts, supporting communities living alongside lions, and pushing for stricter international protections, we can still safeguard the remaining 25,000 wild lions in Africa. Because once they’re gone, they’re gone❗ Read more via the link in our bio.

🐆🌳 Did you know leopards once roamed across 35 African countries? From East Africa’s savannas and the deserts of Southern Africa’s to West Africa’s rainforests and mountain ranges in North Africa. But today, they are losing their spots in more ways than one… Globally, leopards have lost 75% of their habitat 🌍💔, mainly due to human expansion. As wild spaces shrink, leopards are pushed closer to communities, leading to livestock predation that often results in them being killed. Competition for natural resources also fuels human-wildlife conflict, threatening both these big cats and the livelihoods of the people who share their landscapes. In West Africa, leopards were recently reclassified as Endangered after a 50% population drop to 354 individuals in just two decades. Across the rest of the continent, they remain Vulnerable, facing an uncertain future. This #InternationalLeopardDay, say NO ❌ to habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict. Together we can protect this iconic species. Thank you to @alliancemediaafrica for helping share this message on billboards across the continent. 🌍

Your everyday choices help shape the future of Africa’s wildlife. 🐾 When you choose not to buy, sell or consume illegal bushmeat, you help vulnerable animal populations recover and reduce the risk of zoonotic disease outbreaks. 🌳 By visiting national parks, you support vital conservation efforts and help grow local economies. 📲 Saying NO to poaching and reporting wildlife crime helps keep our natural heritage safe and thriving where it belongs: in the wild. Protect our wildlife. 💚 Make the choice to keep them safe❗

Hyenas have long been misunderstood, cast as villains of the African savanna and dismissed as sneaky scavengers. But that couldn’t be further from the truth❗ Africa is home to four hyena species, and each plays a vital role in the ecosystem: 👇 🐾 Spotted: Not just scavengers, but skilled, intelligent hunters that catch up to 90% of their own prey through teamwork and endurance. 💩 Striped: Solitary and nocturnal, they rely on scent, even using “communal latrines” to communicate. 👃 Brown: Distinguished by a shaggy coat and cream mane. These desert-dwellers have an incredible sense of smell, able to detect carcasses from kilometres away. 🐜 Aardwolf: The smallest species and an insectivore, not a carnivore. They can eat up to 300,000 termites in a single night. Hyenas are nature’s clean-up crew, by feeding on rotten carcasses which helps prevent the spread of disease. ♻️ But they are under pressure from habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict. Two of the four species, the brown and striped hyenas, are listed by the IUCN as Near Threatened. But there is hope! In 2026, the striped hyena received stronger protection under the Convention on Migratory Species, a step in the right direction. 💚 This #InternationalHyenaDay, let’s change the narrative and protect these misunderstood animals. Because protecting nature protects us all. Thank you to @alliancemediaafrica for helping share this message on billboards across the continent. 🌍

Clumsy waddlers on land, master divers at sea, and always dressed to the nines in their signature tuxedos… meet Africa’s penguins! 🐧 South Africa 🇿🇦 and Namibia 🇳🇦 are the only countries in the world where African penguins are found. Their scientific name, Spheniscus demersus, means “diving wedge.” While their bold plumage and pink eyelids make them stand out, there’s far more to these marine birds than meets the eye. 👇 🔊 Once known as “jackass penguins,” they earned the name from their loud, braying call that sounds just like a donkey. 🥚 They usually lay two eggs, with both parents taking turns to incubate them. 💧 They can drink seawater and expel excess salt through specialised glands, often sneezing it out. 🌊 The black spots on their chests are unique to each bird, like a fingerprint. Now more than ever, penguins need our protection. 📉 In early 2025, they were officially listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List, with fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs remaining in the wild after a 97% population decline. This #WorldPenguinDay, let’s keep Africa’s penguins thriving by advocating against overfishing, protecting their habitat and giving them space. Because once they’re gone, they’re gone❗

🚨 This #EarthDay, under the theme Our Power, Our Planet, we’re reminded that each of us has a role to play in protecting the wildlife and wild spaces we all depend on. Africa’s rich heritage is deeply connected to the incredible wildlife that calls this continent home. From tiny rain frogs to iconic elephants 🐸🐘, across forests, wetlands, and savannahs... every species is a vital link in an irreplaceable chain. 🐾🌲 Our power lies in the choices we make every day. Together, we can protect our planet, because if we lose this 🌍, we lose everything. Thank you to @alliancemediaafrica for helping share this message on billboards across the continent. 🌍

🐥🐦‍ A new study has found that nearly one million live wild birds were shipped from Africa to Asia over a 15-year period for the wildlife trade. Among the most traded species are yellow-fronted canaries (the most common), African grey parrots, colourful songbirds, cut-throat finches, and many more. Most originated from countries with weak export regulations, driven by rising demand for exotic pets. This large-scale trade is taking a serious toll on Africa’s biodiversity. Removing hundreds of thousands of birds from the wild disrupts key ecological functions, many of these species play vital roles in pollination, seed dispersal, and insect control. The trade also raises significant public health concerns. Long-distance transport in overcrowded, stressful and unsanitary conditions can facilitate the spread of zoonotic diseases, creating opportunities for pathogens to jump between bird species. Despite the scale of the trade, only around 14% of bird species are regulated under CITES, the global wildlife trade treaty. Of nearly 5,000 species found in trade, only about 1,600 have international protection. 💔 Stronger conservation action and tighter trade controls are urgently needed to protect Africa’s birdlife. YOU can also help by reporting wildlife crime, ensure these species remain where they belong: in the wild. 🐣 🔗 Read more via the link in our bio.