Greenpeace today released a clever video highlighting the global biodiversity crisis with a little help from a much-beloved Disney film. While it might seem unlikely the Africa’s animals will vanish, this is exactly what’s happening in parts of the continent due to poaching, unsustainable bushmeat trade, habitat loss, massive development projects that are often poorly planned, and a booming human population. A study in 2010 found that Africa’s big mammal populations had fallen by 59 percent in just 40 years. Last year, some 22,000-35,000 African elephants were slaughtered by poachers, while rhino poaching once again hit record levels this year. And what about Simba? Lion populations have declined by around 70 percent since 1960. This doesn’t mean hope is lost for Africa’s wildlife: there are still regions and parks where animals outstanding megafauna remain abundant and spectacle. But much more needs to be done to stem biodiversity loss, stabilize populations, and eventually re-wild the world. Not just in Africa, but every continent, if we are to have a world with wildlife.
GREENPEACE / HACKING DISNEY from STUDIO SMACK on Vimeo.