Critics say Africa’s colonial-era wildlife laws exclude communities and fail to protect wildlife

Several outlets report that many of Africa’s major wildlife protected areas—such as Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niokolo-Koba in Senegal, Kruger National Park in South Africa and Serengeti National Park in Tanzania—were created during the colonial period. According to the reporting, nearly half of these parks and marine reserves are still managed by government agencies. The Conversation Africa argues that the legal and governance approach is rooted in a colonial conservation model, described as dating to 1933, which separates local people from wildlife and restricts community participation in decision-making. The article says this exclusionary framework has not delivered effective wildlife protection, in part because it does not address how communities live alongside animals or how they are affected by conservation rules. The overall message across sources is that the existing wildlife law and management structure continues to reflect colonial-era assumptions, and that advocates are calling for reforms that incorporate local communities more directly into conservation governance.