By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Aug. 1, GNA – Dr. Meyir Ziekah, the Manager of the Kumasi Zoo, has warned that continued disregard for Ghana’s annual wildlife closed season could lead to a rapid decline in wildlife populations and undermine biodiversity conservation efforts.
He said failure to observe the closed season could cause wildlife populations to collapse faster than they could naturally recover, posing a serious threat to ecosystems, food security and sustainable livelihoods.
Dr. Ziekah gave the warning at the launch of the 2026 wildlife closed season at the Kumasi Zoo, attended by hunters, bushmeat traders and other stakeholders.
The event was on the theme: “Protect Wildlife, Preserve Life.”
He said the close season, observed annually from August 1 to December 1, was backed by the Wildlife Conservation Regulations, 1971 (L.I. 685), and the Wildlife Resources Management Act, 2023 (Act 1115).
The period, he explained, coincided with the breeding, nesting, nursing, spawning and migration seasons of many wildlife species, making them particularly vulnerable to hunting and other human activities.
“The closed season is intended to give wildlife the opportunity to reproduce and replenish their populations. Protecting animals during this critical period also helps to preserve ecosystems, food chains and biodiversity on which human life depends,” he said.
Dr. Ziekah said the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission would continue public education and awareness campaigns to encourage compliance with the law and discourage illegal hunting during the closed season.
He urged hunters, bushmeat traders and the general public to support efforts to protect wildlife, stressing that biodiversity conservation required the collective commitment of all stakeholders.
Dr. Ziekah said safeguarding wildlife resources would promote healthy ecosystems, reduce poverty through sustainable natural resource management and contribute to national development.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Forestry Commission’s Wildlife Division to conserving Ghana’s biodiversity and called on the public to play their part by complying with the closed season regulations.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Yussif Ibrahim
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]