As a result of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Cameroon’s wildlife centre which is home to many of Africa’s iconic animals such as cheetahs, chimpanzees, elephants, giraffes, gorillas, hippopotami and rhinoceroses is experiencing a decline in revenue and foreign aid.
The Limbe wildlife centre has seen half its revenue diminished in recent months with park visits cancelled and cash-strapped donors in the United States (US) and Europe freezing their contributions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Guillaume Le Flohic, the park manager at the centre, a partnership between the Cameroonian government and an international foundation, could be forced to close its doors, if funding is not resumed within the next three months.
“We have had to raise the money for the animal food we have currently. If we don’t have the money we cannot pay for the food,” he said, adding that the centre has seen its expenses rise because of the need for bio-safety measures.
Le Flohic said he is unsure of what would happen to the animals if the park cannot come up with the more than $15,000 it needs for monthly operating expenses. “All our activity and the reason why we are working here, we will have to put that on hold and that is really not a situation I want to be in, but that is the situation we may face,” he said.
The Limbe centre rescues dozens of African gray parrots, one of the world’s most trafficked animals, each year, and other vulnerable primates. In Africa, financial pressures are being felt by wildlife reserves and conservancies due to the lack of funds in financing the tourism sector.
It is of great importance that the government release funds to keep the centres running. This would not only preserve the continuous growth of the country’s tourism sector, but also boost foreign currency inflow and revenue generation.
Cameroon is a travel destination for the tourists due to several attractions that offer travellers the pleasure of enjoying nature and also of indulging in fun and adventure. So far, the country has recorded more than 1,600 cases of COVID-19, making it the largest outbreak in central Africa.
Although Cameroon is most affected by the virus, it will be the least impacted macro economically. According to Solomane Konén African Development Bank (AfDB) director for the Central African Region, Cameroon would be the least affected by the pandemic in the region, due to economic diversification and other various economic reforms introduced in recent years, under the instruction of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Cameroon’s economy grew an estimated 4.1 percent in 2019 owing to a dynamic tertiary sector and growth in consumption and investment.
