Christian, Hindu, Muslim an Other Religious Leaders Go Against Poaching

Not long ago, we reported on how one church in the US was to begin organizing regular meetings whose goal was to emphasize the fact that sustainable development and faith are two issues that need to go hand in hand.

Recent news informs us that several religious leaders in Africa agreed to take part in a rather similar project, meaning that they are to use their influence over local communities in order to promote conservation and help put an end to illegal activities such as poaching.

More precisely, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), together with the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC), has entered a partnership with 50 African faith representatives, who are to speak in favor of conservation from a religious standpoint.

The two endangered species first and foremost targeted by this new environmental campaign are the elephants and the rhinos presently residing in Africa.

As we already explained, these two animal species are the ones most often targeted by poachers, primarily because ivory and rhino horns are extremely valuable on the black market.

The official website for the WWF informs us that the religious leaders who are now going to stand up for them are either of the Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist or other traditional faiths, which means that the message regarding their needing immediate protection is to reach a rather large audience.

As the director for the WWF explains, “Faith leaders are the backbone of local communities, providing lessons and guidance that shape how people live their lives.”

Therefore, “Having religious leaders from all major faiths come together to call for the protection of wildlife on religious grounds and urge their congregations to view the slaughter of elephants and rhinos in Africa as a serious crime may turn the tide of the disaster we face today.”

The same source informs us that, during their speeches, these religious leaders are to also emphasize the fact that Africa’s social stability and peace are also threatened by poachers and their illegal hunting activities.