Alhaji Ibrahim Goni, the Conservator General, National Park Service (NPK), has commended Kano State government for promptly contacting the service to ensure that the escaped lion is captured.
Goni said this in a statement by his Media Assistant, Yakubu Zull in Abuja on Sunday, against the backdrop of the recent escape of a lion from its mobile cage in Kano Zoological Garden after returning from agricultural show in Nasarawa State.
“The Kano state government contacted us and we immediately deployed our team of experts lead by a veterinary doctor of the service, Conservator of Park, Abdulrahaman Mohammed to the state for professional intervention.
“The collaboration between our professionals and the management of the Kano state zoo paid off, and this led to the safe return of the lion to its cage in the zoo.”
Goni commended the team for a job well done, saying that transferring wildlife, especially carnivores and dangerous ones like lions “is a tricky task that requires meticulous planning”.
“Lions present particular transportation challenges because of their size and the danger they pose to humans, so to handle them must be well planned, prepared and effectively executed.
“The more we understand about how these animals behave, the easier it will be for them to be handled without harm to the animals and to humans.”
The CG said that although conservation seemed like a big problem that was best left to the experts to solve, there were small changes every Nigerian could make in their everyday lives to conserve the nation’s biodiversity.
“When we all work together to make these changes, they can make a big difference, and the service’s doors are wide open for any collaboration that will make our nation better.
“The NPK is all about conservation and preservation of our environment and we are prepared to work with stakeholders to have a well-protected and healthy biodiversity,” he said.
According to him, it is not easy to re-think our individual approaches to biodiversity conservation, however, with more collaboration, transparency and the conviction to stand by our principles, we have the tools needed to create better outcomes for all.
Goni commended the Kano State zoo management for doing the right thing by contacting the service for professional help that averted possible calamity, unlike the whale that was washed ashore recently in Bayelsa.
He recalled that few months ago, a whale measuring about 30 feet was washed ashore at Ijaw kiri community waterfront in Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa.
Goni said instead of calling on the appropriate authorities to handle it, some people in the community decided to subject the beached whale to an untidy fate.
He called on zoo managers to also pay attention to the welfare, training of zoo curators, use of appropriate materials in the zoos and timely feeding of animals etc.
“We will continue to raise awareness through developing working relationships of mutual support with other organisations who share our goals.
“Biodiversity should be a top priority if we must achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The SDGs acknowledge the clear connection between environment and development by integrating sustainability in all 17 of the Global Goals.
“SDG 15 aims to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss’.
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