http://www.coastweek.com/3826-...-due-to-poaching.htm



Africa may lose 3.8 million jobs in next decade due to poaching


ARUSHA, Tanzania (Xinhua) -- Africa is to lose 3.8 million jobs in the next ten years, if there are no practical measures to address wildlife poaching across the continent, a Tanzanian senior official said on Thursday.
Poaching remained a serious threat in Africa; hence efforts are needed to address the vice, Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism Adelhem Meru said at an African tourism forum involving a number of experts from across the continent.

"We are worried with the trend of wildlife killings because this would have a devastating impact to the sector and economy," Meru said.

He said that international tourism arrivals continue to grow across Africa, travel and tourism also continues to be a more significant contributor to the continent’s GDP and development at large.

Citing the 2011 survey by the World Travel and Tourism Council, the Tanzanian official said tourism sector is directly and indirectly responsible for 8.8 per cent of world’s jobs.

According to Meru, it is estimated that 3.8 million jobs including 2.8 million indirect jobs could be created by the tourism industry in Africa over the next 10 years.

"These figures can only be realized if the industry takes on a sustainable tourism development path and if the current situation will remain unattended, these jobs would vanish in air," he said, calling on African countries to put in place practical measures to protect the mammals.

However, he said in Tanzania, tourism alone creates 700,000 jobs and the number is expected to double in some years to come, "but we’re worried with the wildlife poaching ... that’s why I am saying more efforts needed to stop the ongoing rampant killings of wildlife".

Les Carlisle, a South African-based tourism expert, also called on African countries to come up with sustainable measures that would make wildlife sector continue to thrive for the current and future generations.

He said African large mammals including elephants are on the verge of extinction, "hence there is a need for coming up with collective efforts to address the vice".

He suggested the need for governments to team up in reversing the trend by embracing better practices that would sustain tourism.

According to him, the war against poaching needs to be fought collectively because one country alone cannot win the battle.

Experts from Rhinos Without Boarders said it is high time for the continent to work as one team in addressing wildlife killings.

Just what Africa needs, less employed. I am sure that PETA and their ilk will be properly horrified by this news...