Exit Africa

The book "Exit Africa" by Jeffrey Van Daele portrays the beauty and fragility of African nature. In his book he shows how impressive African nature is, but also how vulnerable it is due to human activities.

The photos are often an indictment of the threats facing African wildlife, such as illegal hunting, deforestation and climate change. It is a must-see for anyone interested in nature and the urgency of nature conservation.

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Leopard

Nearly half of the world's cat species are threatened with extinction. In the 1970s there was a huge decline in leopard populations because everyone wanted a leopard print coat. Nowadays this is 'not done' in the US and Europe, but unfortunately in some parts of the world it is still considered a status symbol.
All leopard species are listed as protected, although a number of African countries still allow licensed and controlled trophy hunting. Leopards are often accused of killing children and livestock, which makes it difficult to enforce these protection laws in those countries.

Zebra

The Grévy's Zebra is the largest living wild equid and also the most endangered of the three zebra species. It does have tremendous survival skills as it can survive for up to five days without water, yet the population has fallen from 15,000 to 2,200 since the 1970s, with an additional 600 individuals in captivity. In the wild, zebras are losing to humans because they are being pushed out of the habitat by livestock. A lot of water is also drained from the land due to irrigation for agriculture, leaving little for the zebras to survive.

Pangolin

The Pangolin, or 'terrestrial crocodile' as the Ancient Romans called them, is the world's most traded mammal. 100,000 animals are smuggled to China and Vietnam every year, that's more than a million in the last 10 years!
The flesh is considered a delicacy and the scales are used for medicinal purposes. This, combined with deforestation, has led to a large population decline. Fortunately, as of 2020, the Chinese government has given Pangolins the highest form of protection and removed their body parts from the list of ingredients in Chinese medicine.

Giraffe

It may be hard to believe, but the Giraffe's tail is used in many African cultures to make good luck bracelets. They use it as thread for sewing or stringing beads.
The world's tallest land animal has lost 40 percent of its population in just 30 years. Two subspecies of giraffes are even on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species for the first time. Many, including conservationists, are unaware that the population is slowly becoming extinct.

Cape Fur Seal

Cape Cross in Namibia, a government-owned protected area, is home to one of the largest colonies of Cape fur seals in the world.
In 1990, hunting and collecting seals was banned in Australia and South Africa, but is still allowed in Namibia.
Cape Cross is one of the two main locations in Namibia where puppies are killed for their fur and adult males for their sexual organs. The government believes that killing the animals is necessary to limit their numbers. Apparently the fur seals would have a negative impact on the country's fish harvest, but the economic impact on fish stocks is controversial and has not yet been proven.

Hyena

Spotted hyena populations are relatively high, making them not (yet) an endangered species. Some cultures associate them with witchcraft and use certain body parts in traditional medicine.
Just as in Europe and USA we have, as a bad omen, the black cat, in Africa they have the Spotted Hyena.

Ostrich

The Ostrich is not only the world's largest bird, but also the fastest among other birds and other two-legged animals. In a single stride, the ostrich covers 5 meters and can sprint faster than 70 km/h (43 mph).
Seven of the nine species are now extinct. It is only 'thanks to' breeding that the other two species still exist. Today, the feathers are used for decorative objects, the skin for leather products, the giant eggs and meat for our taste buds, even their fat which in some cultures is believed to cure diabetes and AIDS.

Oryx

Unlike the Gemsbok (Oryx Gazella), the Algazel of North Africa is now extinct in the wild and the East African Oryx is considered endangered. One of the reasons for this is their meat. Meat from Oryx is said to be healthier because they graze in the wild and contain more omega-3 than salmon. Another reason for hunting is their skin and their horns, which serve as good luck charms.

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Een kunstboek met meer dan 120 van de mooiste beelden van Afrika. Enkel in gelimiteerde uitgave verkrijgbaar.

Details

180 pagina's
Formaat: gesloten 30 x 25 cm, open 60 x 25 cm
3-talige uitgave (Frans, Nederlands, Engels)