Dr Mark Animal TV Show, a new wildlife-focused television series for children aged seven to fourteen, has been launched by Wild Africa Fund.
This was said on Saturday in Lagos by Wild Africa Fund Nigeria’s Representative, Mr Festus Iyorah.
“The kiddies show premieres this Saturday and every other Saturday at 8.45 a.m. on Silverbird TV DSTV channel 252, StarTimes Channel 109, and GOTV channel 92/192.
“The show will educate children between ages seven and 14 on Nigeria’s amazing wildlife and the need to protect them,” the statement said.
In recent years, Nigeria has reportedly become a transit hub for the illegal wildlife trafficking of pangolin scales and ivory.
The Nigeria Customs Service has made four big seizures of pangolin scales, ivory, and other animal components in the past 13 months, according to the statement.
It further stated that there is a rising desire for bushmeat eating in Nigeria, particularly among urban inhabitants.
“Conservationists say illegal wildlife trade and a demand for bushmeat have sharply declined Nigeria’s wildlife and biodiversity.
“They estimate that Nigeria has fewer than 50 lions, 100 gorillas, 500 elephants, and 2,300 chimpanzees left in the wild.
“Generally, ignorance and low awareness about Nigeria’s amazing biodiversity and the importance wild animals play in the environment have contributed to the continuous destruction of Nigeria’s wildlife.
“These existential challenges have inspired the need for public awareness and educational materials that educate the general public, especially young people who are best equipped to save our environment for future generations,” it said.
According to the statement, Mr Peter Knights, Founder of Wild Africa Fund and Executive Producer of the new TV show, said that children will enjoy the show.
“We hope that kids will be excited to learn about these animals and how we must protect them for their futures,” Knights said.
According to the statement, Mark’s Animal TV programme will educate children about the human and ecological relevance of wild creatures such as pangolins, lions, and African grey parrots.
It was also said that children will discover interesting things about various creatures, including domestic animals such as dogs.
The statement revealed that a quiz competition was planned at the end of the event to motivate schoolchildren to retain knowledge.
The animal programme arrives at a time when local material for children, particularly on the environment, is scarce.
In the statement, Iyorah stated that the Wild African Fund will continue to invest in educational wildlife programming.
“We plan to invest in educational wildlife content that will empower children as the next generation of wildlife ambassadors.
“We expect children to impact their cycle of influence with what they learnt from watching the show,” he said.
