Shanghai Zoo to host exhibition on Africa's endangered species

Nairobi based Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF) said on Monday that it and Shanghai Zoo will on Saturday launch a two-month exhibition themed "Save the African Endangered Species."

AWF said in a statement that the exhibition, which will run from Sept. 28 to Nov. 20 in Shanghai Zoo, will showcase photographs of African endangered species and ongoing efforts to halt their extinction.

The exhibition, which is expected to draw thousands of visitors, is part of a sensitization campaign against illegal wildlife trade in Africa.

"This campaign will run co-currently with the debut Chinese screening of award-winning short film 'Sides of a Horn,' which is the first of its kind to tell the story of Africa's poaching war from both sides of the fence. The film is based on actual events," said AWF.

AWF has partnered with Chinese institutions to raise awareness on threats facing Africa's iconic wildlife species like elephants and mammals.

The pan African conservation lobby in 2018 hosted a three months exhibition at the Beijing Zoo to raise visibility on the threats facing African wildlife that include poaching, habitat loss and climatic shocks.

A memorandum of understanding between the Beijing Zoo and AWF that was signed at the end of the exhibition reaffirmed that cooperation between China and Africa is key to strengthening protection of the continent's wildlife and wild land.

"China is increasingly providing leadership on conservation through proactive policies, and Africa- and the world- is watching," said Kaddu Sebunya, AWF chief executive officer, during the signing of the MOU with Beijing Zoo last year.

The conservation lobby has also participated in a China-Africa dialogue that facilitates high-level meetings between African and Chinese business executives with the aim of strengthening their commitment to wildlife protection.