Wildlife Weekly

One of Africa's first wildlife shows for kids, Dr Mark, a qualified wildlife vet, spends each episode educating kids about a different animal relevant to the African continent. The episodes unpack general information about each species as well as the threats they face and what we can do to help protect them.

Forests cover one third of the earth's land mass, performing vital functions and supporting the livelihoods of 1.6 billion people. Forests are vital for human survival but have been hit hard by human activity. Every year, approximately 12 million hectares of forest are destroyed.  Forests are home to more than half of the world’s land-based species of animals, plants and insects. They combat climate change because of their capacity to remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it, which is called forest mitigation. Forests also buffer the impacts of storms and floods. By feeding our rivers, forests supply drinking water for nearly half of the world’s largest cities. They also provide shelter, jobs and security for forest-dependent populations.

On Tuesday, 9th January 2024, the Nigerian government organized its first-ever Ivory crush, destroyed massive stockpiles of seized elephant tusks, and worked ivory weighing about 2.5 tonnes (2,436.15 kilograms). The event was held in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, and was spearheaded by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in collaboration with the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation (EPIF). Nigeria's first-ever ivory crush is a watershed moment for a country working to conserve its elephant population and combat the illegal ivory trade.   

In March 2021, the Nigerian Breweries Plc awarded the restoration of an area (about 600 ha) of Olokemeji Forest Reserve to the IITA Forest Center, with the Ogun State Government as an implementing partner. The Olokemeji Forest Reserve covering about 5,900 ha and located between two mega-cities in Nigeria, Abeokuta and Ibadan, is one of the largest forest reserves in southwest Africa. The Forest Reserve is managed by the Ogun State Government, but highly degraded due to unsustainable exploitation and farming practices. The Olokemeji Reforestation Project is a corporate social responsibility of the Nigerian Breweries Plc to give back to the surrounding communities where they get their most important resource for production – water.

On the show today, let’s talk deforestation and the latest happening in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital As the world seeks to slow the pace of climate change, preserve wildlife, and support more than eight billion people, trees inevitably hold a major part of the answer. Yet the mass destruction of trees—deforestation—continues, sacrificing the long-term benefits of standing trees for short-term gain of fuel, and materials for manufacturing and construction. We need trees for a variety of reasons, not least of which is that they absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale and the heat-trapping greenhouse gases that human activities emit. As those gases enter the atmosphere, global warming increases, a trend scientists now prefer to call climate change. There is also the imminent danger of disease caused by deforestation. An estimated 60 percent of emerging infectious diseases come from animals, and a major cause of viruses’ jump from wildlife to humans is habitat loss, often through deforestation.

African grey parrots are bright, intelligent, long living birds.  They are known to be smart, talented mimics. But their popularity has taken a heavy toll on their wild populations. The parrot, which once flourished in Nigeria and several West African countries, has nearly disappeared from the wild due to unsustainable trapping and habitat loss.  African grey parrots are one of the most commonly traded of all birds. More than one million wild grey parrots were likely traded between 1982 and 2001. Ifeanyi Ezenwa, a lecturer at the University of Nigeria's Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, has been keeping track of these activities since 2017. He also works for the World Parrot Trust, an international NGO focused on the conservation and welfare of parrots. 

It’s always in the news. The public hears it quite often. But what exactly is climate change and how can we help the public make sense of this complex term? In this episode, Oiza spoke to Olumide Idowu, aka  Mr. Climate, who is a campaigner and climate change activist as well as Host, The Climate Talk Podcast Seyifunmi Adebote

Mangroves are rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea. Mangroves contribute to the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide. Mangroves also act as a form of natural coastal defense against storm surges, tsunamis, rising sea levels and erosion. Yet mangroves are disappearing three to five times faster than overall global forest losses. In this episode, Oiza had a chat with Jerry Chidi, documentary photographer,  who is raising awareness on the importance of mangroves as unique, special and vulnerable ecosystems & promotes solutions for their conservation and use.

Vulture populations on the African continent have plummeted catastrophically over the last 50 years, with some species declining by as much as 97%. Seven of the eleven African vulture species are at risk of extinction. In West Africa there is high demand for vulture parts, majorly driven by belief-based use. In some communities, vulture heads are erroneously thought to contain mystic powers and are used in making traditional charms and medicine. In Nigeria, vultures are also sold in markets as food and protein supplements. Vulture eggs are also highly sought for money-making rituals and are believed to cure madness and various ailments. The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has been engaging traditional healers with the aim of raising awareness about plant-based alternatives to vulture parts. In this episode, Oiza spoke to Dr. Stella Egbe, Species Conservation Manager, Nigeria Conservation Foundation. Mr. Oladapo Soneye, Communications Officer at Nigeria Conservation Foundation. Mariam Longe, TV Host (Your View on TVC)

Plastic Pollution has become a menace in Lagos, South west, Nigeria with drainages, canals, lagoon and ocean filled with different colours, shapes and sizes of plastics which result in flooding of roads, streets and homes eventually leading to loss of life and property. In commemorating World Environment Day with the theme"Solutions to Plastic Pollution", Oiza speaks with Doyinsola Ogunye, founder of RESWAYE, a recycling initiative in Lagos and Benedicta Ikemefuna, a young heroine volunteering and contributing her efforts to curbing Plastic Pollution in Lagos, Nigeria.

Nigeria has become a hub for the illegal export of pangolin scales and ivory. Why is this a problem and why should I care? This question will guide this episode wherein we will explore ongoing efforts to stop the illegal trade. Oiza had an enlightening conversation with a senior official of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.

The “Big Five” is a term that is used to refer to the 5 African animals that early big game hunters considered most difficult and dangerous animals to hunt on foot in Africa. These animals include the lions, leopards, elephants, African buffalo, and rhinoceroses This week’s show will share interesting facts about the Big Five to impress the audience and then get them to understand that some have gone or are on the verge of extinction in Nigeria. It is crucial to understand the role of the Big Five in driving tourism while pushing the audience to act to protect them and other wildlife.

A look at efforts to protect the last elephant population in Omo Forest 100 kilometers (60 miles) from downtown Lagos. Omo was protected as a government reserve nearly a century ago and is a UNESCO "biosphere reserve" of global importance, it is one of the last patches of pristine rainforest left near Lagos. While Omo’s 132,000 hectares (326,000 acres) of forest is granted official protection, with a 640-hectare (1,580-acre) portion in the middle designated a “strict nature reserve” — the reserve is under heavy pressure from farmers, hunters and loggers. Between 2001 and 2018, Omo lost more than 7 percent of its tree cover, according to satellite data from the University of Maryland (UMD). So far in 2019, UMD has recorded more than 2,000 deforestation alerts – most of which occurred in May and June. Biodun Ajibade visited Omo and had a chat with ​​Emmanuel Olabode who is working to save the elephants in Omo Forest in South-West Nigeria. 

In this episode, Oiza visited the Old Oyo National Park, considered as a mixed heritage site with outstanding natural and cultural values. Interviews with rangers and the park management. It is the closest park to Lagos and worth exploring and bringing to the attention of Lagosians.

For this episode, we went in search of young people working to protect the environment, whether from plastic pollution or supporting conservation efforts across Lagos. We found Benedicta, a student of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria. Oiza interviews her on her activities around curbing plastic pollution as she tells the story of the tragic incident that spurred her to become an environmentalist.

There are growing fears among conservationists that vultures are facing extinction. This is particularly troubling when you consider that vultures are among the most adaptable of all the world’s birds and have learned to live alongside human beings, serving as the clean-up squads in urban and rural areas alike.   In this episode, Oiza speaks to Mr. Desmond Majekodunmi, Owner of Lufasi Nature Park he spoke on the threats facing vultures and implored Nigerians to see the vulture in a more positive light and as a vital contributor to the ecosystem that needs to be protected.

In this episode, Oiza speaks to Chinedu Mogbo and his mission to save endangered animals in Nigeria. Widespread hunting in Nigeria has seen the country's animal population continue to fall. With no effective laws against animal abuse and trade, Chinedu Mogbo is trying to combat it by setting up a sanctuary for animals.

Bushmeat species are ideal hosts for deadly diseases. For example, great apes are as adversely affected by the Ebola virus as humans. Ebola can be transmitted to humans from contact with contaminated meat and eating bushmeat is believed to be a cause of Ebola outbreaks in humans. With bushmeat becoming increasingly commercialized, this problem could quickly affect any of us. It is a huge possibility that this meat will be accompanied by zoonotic diseases.  In this episode, Oiza had a chat with Dr Mark Ufua, a vetenarian who explained how wild animals are carriers of zoonotic diseases and introduce another outbreak if they are not kept in the wild.

The West African Manatee is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Incidental capture in nets, and hunting for meat, skin, bones and oil occurs throughout most of its range, including in coastal towns and villages in Nigeria.  According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, there are an estimated 10,000 manatees along the coast of West Africa, but its population is rapidly declining. Hunting manatees is illegal in Nigeria yet endangered mammals remain targeted, sought after for its meat, oil and organs, used in traditional medicine. In this spoke we spoke to Dr. Bolaji Dunsin, a Nigerian scientist, who is saving African manatees by working with fishermen at Lekki Lagoon.