Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
A GROUND-BREAKING report launched on the sidelines of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) in Victoria Falls has amplified the indispensable role of wildlife in sustaining Africa’s wetlands.
Titled Africa Special Report: Taking Animals into Account, the document implores governments to integrate animal-driven ecological processes into wetland restoration and management strategies to combat biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation.
The report, produced by the Global Rewilding Alliance (GRA) in partnership with practitioner partners and supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), highlights the alarming decline of wetlands and freshwater species.
Since 1700, an estimated 3,4 million square kilometres of inland wetlands have been lost globally, while nearly one-third of freshwater fish species face extinction.
The findings urge a paradigm shift in conservation efforts, emphasising that wildlife, from elephants and hippos to fish and water birds, actively shapes and maintains wetland health.
Speaking at the launch, GRA’s director of science-policy-practice, Mr Magnus Sylvén said the report is a valuable resource for those implementing the Ramsar Convention.
“By recognising the fundamental ecological role of wild animals, mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and other organisms, we will become better at managing and restoring the world’s inland and coastal wetlands.
“This will dramatically increase the ecosystem services of wetlands to the benefit of all people on Planet Earth,” he said.
IFAW regional director for Africa Mr James Isiche, linked wetland preservation to broader climate and biodiversity goals.
“Wetlands are vital ecological connectors in IFAW’s Room to Roam initiative, supporting species like elephants as they move across borders and landscapes. Protecting and restoring these dynamic ecosystems is essential to building climate resilience, conserving biodiversity, and ensuring a future where animals and people thrive together,” he said.
ZimParks’ director of international conservation affairs Professor Patience Gandiwa said the report consolidates science showing how species such as elephants, hippos, fish and water birds shape wetland landscapes and improve their ecological character.
