By Abdullahi Lukman
The manager of the Kumasi Zoo, Dr. Meyir Ziekah, has warned that failure to comply with Ghana’s annual wildlife closed season could accelerate the decline of wildlife populations and threaten biodiversity, ecosystems and food security.
Speaking at the launch of the 2026 wildlife closed season at the Kumasi Zoo, Dr. Ziekah said continued hunting during the protected period could prevent wildlife species from recovering naturally, with far-reaching consequences for conservation and sustainable livelihoods.
The event, attended by hunters, bushmeat traders and other stakeholders, was held under the theme, “Protect Wildlife, Preserve Life.”
Dr. Ziekah said the closed season, observed annually from August 1 to December 1, is enforced under the Wildlife Conservation Regulations, 1971 (L.I. 685), and the Wildlife Resources Management Act, 2023 (Act 1115).
According to him, the period coincides with the breeding, nesting, nursing, spawning and migration seasons of many wildlife species, making them especially vulnerable to hunting and other human activities.
He explained that the temporary hunting ban is intended to allow wildlife populations to reproduce and recover naturally, while protecting ecosystems, maintaining food chains and preserving biodiversity that supports human well-being.
The wildlife closed season forms part of Ghana’s broader conservation strategy aimed at ensuring the sustainable management of wildlife resources for future generations.
