On Monday, March 3, 2025, the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and its partners celebrated World Wildlife Day at the FDA compound in Whein Town, Paynesville. The event brought together FDA employees, university students studying forestry, and officials from various government ministries, agencies, and partners within the forestry sector. This year, World Wildlife Day was observed under the theme “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet.”

Speaking on behalf of FDA Managing Director Rudolph J. Merab Sr., the Deputy Managing Director for Community, Conservation, and Carbon, Madam Nora Bowier, noted that this year's event coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which came into force in 1975.

“The rich biodiversity of our planet is priceless, and conserving it comes with a significant cost. Each year, billions of dollars are spent, but even more is needed to bridge the gap required to save wild species of fauna and flora,” she stated.

Madam Bowier informed the audience that the United Nations Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (2019) indicates that around one million animal and plant species are currently threatened, more than at any other time in human history. This report underscores the urgent need for innovative financing to enhance wildlife conservation.

She highlighted that more than one million species are estimated to be at risk of extinction, citing the growing threats they face. According to her, the current financial resources are insufficient to meet national biodiversity targets, especially given the many competing national needs.

Although some financial investments are made annually for biodiversity conservation globally, this amount remains significantly lower than the estimated USD 824 billion dollars needed each year to adequately protect and restore nature.

Madam Bowier emphasized that mobilizing financial resources for wildlife conservation requires creating enabling conditions to collaborate with multiple stakeholders, including the government, to address the issue. 

“Nationally, we have taken steps to protect remaining species by expanding our protected areas and developing a legal framework. However, we must go beyond just creating protected areas to address the substantial financing gaps that continuously undermine our efforts to empower communities and support effective species management both inside and outside protected areas. There are indeed investment opportunities in the sector that should be explored,” she stated.

“Tourism is one of the pillars of the ‘ARREST Agenda.’ Our ability to leverage our rich wildlife resources provides an opportunity to create jobs and empower local and national economies through ecotourism. We encourage the private sector to join us in addressing the financing gap, as practiced globally. Access to government funds for conservation will significantly boost our efforts and reduce reliance on donor funding. Additionally, it will motivate the private sector to contribute more. Ladies and gentlemen, I urge all stakeholders to work with us in finding solutions that benefit both people and the planet,” she concluded.

Delivering the keynote address at the occasion, Joel Gamys, Executive Director at the Forestry Training Institute (FTI), described World Wildlife Day 2025 as a platform for exchanging and exploring innovative financial solutions for wildlife conservation. 

He noted that Liberia hosts approximately 43% of the remaining Upper Guinea forest and is recognized as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, featuring a wealth of biodiversity, including plants with high endemism. Liberia is home to more than 2,000 flowering plant species, over 600 bird species, and 125 mammal species.

In conclusion, Gamys emphasized that people everywhere depend on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet their needs. He stated that in order for humanity to enjoy the benefits and beauty that nature provides, we must work together to ensure that ecosystems thrive and that both plant and animal species can exist for future generations.

“Let us celebrate wildlife and the importance of conservation efforts being undertaken in Liberia and around the world,” he said.

In his closing remarks, Jerry Yonmah, the Technical Manager of Conservation at the FDA, mentioned that the FDA has established five protected areas across the country and is on the verge of establishing additional ones. However, he pointed out that there are insufficient resources to manage these protected areas, a lack of community infrastructure, unstable livelihoods, and no benefits from the forests reaching local communities.

Yonmah also appealed to the government, donors, and international partners for greater support to safeguard these protected areas for future use. He warned that Burkinabe individuals have been intruding into the Krahn Grebo National Park in Grand Gedeh County. If no action is taken, they may potentially take over the forest, displacing local community dwellers. He urged the Ministry of Justice to enforce laws protecting the forests to prevent foreigners from entering illegally and engaging in harmful activities.

It is worth noting that on December 20, 2013, during the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), March 3 was declared United Nations World Wildlife Day (WWD). This day holds significance as it marks the anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which was signed in 1973. The UNGA resolution designated the CITES Secretariat as the facilitator for the global observance of this special day for wildlife on the UN calendar. World Wildlife Day has since become an annual global event dedicated to wildlife.

Among the agencies and partners invited to the occasion were the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism (MICAT), the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), the Liberia One Health Platform, representatives from various diplomatic missions, including the U.S. Embassy, the German Embassy, the French Embassy, the UK Embassy, the European Union (EU), and the Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL), as well as the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF), among others.