East and Southern African's Medicinal Animals and Plants Threatened
10/1/98
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Title: East and Southern African's Medicinal Animals and Plants
Threatened
Source: Environment News Service
Status: Copyrighted, contact source to reprint
Date: 10/1/98
NAIROBI, Kenya, October 1, 1998 (ENS) - Wild animals and plants valued in
medicines are becoming increasingly scarce in East and southern African
countries, according to a new study released Wednesday by TRAFFIC, the
wildlife trade monitoring programme of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
and the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
The African rock python, the African wild ass, the pangolin, and the Green
turtle are among the animals most endangered by the medicinal trade.
Among plants, the enormous Boabab tree is at risk along with dozens of
others, large and small.
The report, "Searching for a Cure: Conservation of Medicinal Wildlife
Resources in East and Southern Africa" by Nina Marshall, identifies 29
animal species and 102 medicinal plant species as priorities for
conservation and management action.
The findings are based upon extensive research in 17 countries: Botswana,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia,
Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and
Madagascar.
"We're calling for immediate action," said Nina Marshall, TRAFFIC
East/Southern Africa's senior programme officer based in Nairobi and the
author of the new report. "Failure to stabilize the status of these plants
and animals would negatively effect not only the environment but also the
health of millions of people in this region."
The study found traditional medicine critical to health-care in the
region. Western medicine is too expensive for most people. Traditional
medicine is the most commonly used medical system in many countries and is
gaining popularity in others, such as Kenya and South Africa.
In at least seven of the countries surveyed, traditional medicine has been
integrated into national health care schemes.
Traditional medicine is reliant on a wide range of plant and animal
products. The greatest use of wildlife medicinals is for local use rather
than export to foreign markets, but demand often exceeds supply and
appears to be increasing.
The vast majority of the plants and animals used in traditional medicine
are taken directly from the wild, where some species are already
critically endangered and the status of others is becoming precarious. In
many cases, the status of valued medicinal species is simply unknown.
The conservation of medicinal wildlife resources in east and southern
Africa will require conservation, management, awareness, regulation and
research initiatives by a range of institutions.
The report recommends increased collaboration with traditional healers'
associations to promote propagation of medicinal plants, and public
awareness activities aimed at regulatory agencies in the region.
Of the animals feeling the impact of collection for medicines is the
African Rock Python, in demand for medicinal use in almost all countries
surveyed. Its skin is used to treat sexually transmitted diseases
and the back for backache. Marshall identified this snake as a priority
for conservation in Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa.
The meat, blood and fat of the African Wild Ass are used to treat a
variety of ailments. This critically endangered species is in need of
increased protection in Eritrea, where medicinal use combined with other
threats, such as hunting and interbreeding with domestic donkeys, poses a
grave threat to its already precarious status.
Four species of pangolins are found in forest and savanna of Africa.
Covered with overlapping scales, the pangolin protects itself by raising
them like a coat of razors. The scales and blood of the Cape Pangolin are
used to treat a variety of conditions such as heart problems and also as
good luck charms, for rain making and to protect against bad omens and
bullets. Marshall identified the Pangolin as a priority for studies to
determine the volume and impact of trade in Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia,
South Africa and Tanzania.
The oil of the Green turtle is used to treat many conditions. In Kenya,
where illegal local and international trade is occurring, the oil is
believed to cure more than 40 ailments, from scabies to tuberculosis. This
species is identified for priority action in Eritrea, Kenya and Tanzania.
In Eritrea, the genitalia are used and there are exports to Saudi Arabia.
c Environment News Service (ENS) 1998