45 



4. Protecting Species of Special Concern: Protecting critical wildlife populations 

 that arc threatened by over-harvest or by habitat destruction and degradation. 

 Ultimately, WWF's work la concerned with the conservation of species. In 

 the Africa and Madagascar Program, species of special concern are most often 

 addressed through working to establish protected areas that preserve critical 

 habiuts for the species. Some projects focus on high-profile species, such as 

 elephant or rhino, that serve as flagships for broader conservation efforts. 



ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 



Africa's economic growth rcte is the lowest in the world. Per capita food production between 

 1962 and 1983 decreased by 20%, (Smuckler and Berg, 1988). Most increases recorded are 

 primarily due to increases ir area under cultivation rather than intensification. According to 

 the UN annual development index, 32 of the 40 countries with the lowest economic 

 development are in Africa. Such hard facts have extremely negative impacts on the 

 environment of Africa as people fight to acquire the barest requirements for survival. Despite 

 all this, Africa gets the least development aid. For example, in 1986, total bilateral aid to 

 iub-Sahara Africa w-as 8% compared to 18% for Asia and 16% for Latin America and the 

 Caribbean, (Smuckler and Ber£, 1988). In the U.S., private foundation support to 

 biodiversity conservation in 1939 was: Asia 3%, Africa 4% and Latin America and 

 Car.bbean 88%. 



