A conservation project launched in March 2022 is fighting to halt the commercial slaughter of donkeys in Ghana’s Upper East and North East regions, where advocates warn the animals face potential local extinction due to demand from international hide traders.
Professor Roger Kanton, who leads the Fight Against Donkey Extinction in Ghana project, said the initiative has targeted areas where donkey hide trading is most prevalent, including East and West Mamprusi municipalities, Bolgatanga municipality, Bongo, and Kasena-Nankana West District.
The project achieved an early success in 2022 when it closed a donkey slaughter facility in Walewale with support from traditional chiefs, local government, and security forces.
“The donkey has a gestation period of between 11 to 14 months, exceeding even human gestation,” Kanton explained during a radio interview. “When 100 donkeys are crossed, you get only 30 going to foal. Against these two backgrounds, it tells you that the donkey is a very special species.”
The advocacy effort, sponsored by Brook UK, operates across West Africa in collaboration with partners in Dakar and other regional capitals. The organization is working to raise awareness about the unique reproductive challenges facing donkeys compared to other livestock.
Professor Kanton, who spent 31 years at the Manga Agricultural Research Station in the Upper East Region before retiring, said initial resistance from the Donkey Butchers Association in Zuarungu has shifted to support as donkey populations have declined noticeably.
“The last time we went to Bolgatanga, they told us, ‘Prof Kanton, you are right. Now we can’t even get donkeys to buy,'” he said.
Municipal Environmental Health Officers have reported a significant drop in donkey slaughter rates, indicating growing acceptance of the conservation message among local communities.
The project continues to expand its outreach across both regions, where donkeys serve critical agricultural and transportation roles for rural farming communities.
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Bolgatanga
