Garamba National Park: What is happening to one of Africa’s oldest protected areas?

Image source: thetimes.co.uk
Territories caught in conflict don't just affect people and their communities. In Africa, armed conflicts greatly cause destruction to wildlife habitats. Many animals are considered endangered because of environmental decline and illegal operations. Margaret L. Salmon, M.D., a humanitarian, entrepreneur, and medical professional who has worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo, understands how this problem can greatly cause a decline in the animal population.


The country's Garamba National Park is one of Africa’s oldest protected areas. However, it is under threat with local and foreign poachers hunting for hippos, buffaloes, and elephants. Park rangers and conservationists working in the area are also in danger from these invaders. With a territory that spans at least 2,000 square miles and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park is supposed to be a safe haven for the world’s biggest animals.

Image source: thetimes.co.uk
Unfortunately, those who want to conserve and secure the species must sacrifice their lives in order to keep the peace. Non-governmental organizations such as the African Parks Network are providing aid to ensure the security of humans and animals in the area. Aside from studying the behavior and the environment of various species, those who are involved in the park are also employing strict security measures in a continuous attempt to restore the area.

As someone who is working with communities caught in conflict, Margaret L. Salmon, M.D., knows that obtaining help from the outside can empower locals. By using innovative technology to monitor the site and its inhabitants, those who are working to save the park have solved a significant issue in security. In the past years, this has helped in stopping the decline of endangered species. In the case of Garamba National Park, the unified efforts of local park rangers, the nation’s armed forces, non-profit organizations, and researchers have proven that there is still hope for the wildlife there.

Margaret L. Salmon, M.D., is the founder of InnovationsCZ, a lab specializing in innovating and prototyping low-cost solutions to fulfill the healthcare needs of populations caught in conflict. More on Dr. Salmon and InnovationsCZ on this website.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Developing an effective team for your startup

Image
Most leaders of successful startups credit their status to their incredible teams. With the right employees, opportunities are limitless. However, it’s not easy picking the right team players. Fast growth requires extensive hiring. Image source: Stanford.edu Image source: nextstephub.com It’s essential for founders of startup companies to look beyond an applicant’s resume. Hiring experts know when a person is more than just their highlights on paper. Important skills can be spotted through a series of interviews and a review of an applicant’s portfolio. In addition, a person’s values must be aligned with the company’s. According to Margaret L. Salmon, M.D., experts in the field look for care, humility, passion, and excellence in applicants. The same goes for investors. Company culture is integral in every business, especially in startup companies. Finding investors whose drums beat the same as the founder’s is one of the keys to sustainability and fast growth. ...
Read more

Importance of Startup Grind in humanitarian efforts

Image
Startup Grind is an established virtual environment connecting over 2 million startups and venture capitalists in over 125 countries through more than 600 chapters. It nurtures startup ecosystems through partnerships with organizations such as Google for Startups. It is also a great place to raise concerns to other likeminded entrepreneurs, states Margaret L. Salmon, M.D. Dr. Salmon’s recent humanitarian efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia have been lauded, but she believes more businesses should be involved. Image source: smallbiztrends.com For humanitarians, Startup Grind is a great way to learn firsthand knowledge from experienced entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. Sometimes, humanitarian efforts need to be based on sustainable measures rather than be limited to certain constraints like supplies and budget. Besides learning from business people, Startup Grind also features innovators, educators, and investors who share their ideas toward building gre...
Read more