The head of the African Mammal Conservation Organization, AMMCO, Aristide Takoukam Kamla, refers to himself as the father of orphans – Marine wildlife, less protected compared to terrestrial animals. He created the street whale concept to bring the sea to people and raise awareness on marine conservation. The Street Whale Festival, provides an opportunity to reflect on successes and setbacks while yearning for ta better future for marine wildlife conservation. Read this interview with Cameroon Factfinder to learn more.
Cameroon Factfinder: How did this idea of the Street Whale start?
Dr. Aristide Takoukam Kamla: The Street Whale was created by conservationists who were considering ways to spark public interest in marine conservation. The marine ecosystem received relatively little attention in the environmental discourse or communication, which was primarily centered on terrestrial species and the forest ecosystem. For people to be interested in the marine ecosystem, we needed them. We discovered that integrating or aligning science, the arts, and culture was the most effective approach.
What made you name it Street Whale, then?
Since we are aware that bringing the whale to the street serves as a sort of metaphor to educate people about whales, we have decided to call it Street Whale. Since so few people visit the ocean, we must bring the ocean to those who are unable to do so. That’s all the Street Whale does: it brings the ocean to people.
And why the whale? Why didn’t you choose a dolphin? Why not a manatee?
From our perspective, the whale represents the marine ecosystem and serves as its mascot. An umbrella species, that is. Because there are dozens or perhaps millions of marine species and we are unable to conserve every single one, saving whales also indirectly protects other species. By selecting one ambassador species to represent the other species, we had to take a calculated approach. We must focus on one species when discussing marine conservation for communication’s sake, but it doesn’t mean we have to ignore the others.
And what are the achievements of all these four years talking about conservation during the Street Whale?
Now that our fourth edition is out, I believe the accomplishments are evident. It is evident that the public’s awareness of marine conservation is growing, and the subject is being covered by Cameroon’s mainstream media as well as several TV and radio stations. That is similar to the Street Whale’s impact already. Furthermore, we established the CabNet, a Cameroonian network of marine conservationists that has been active for two years and is influencing the country’s marine conservation landscape. We are also establishing a great deal of networking. We are enabling Cameroonian marine conservationists to connect with foreign scientists or even benefactors. Additionally, we are tying central Africa together because we need to establish a marine conservation network throughout the region. When we work together, we may be stronger and accomplish more than when we work alone.
Which marine animal is the challenge to conserve?
All of those species, in my opinion, are really difficult to deal with because they are aquatic. They’re really hard to find. They are all quite challenging to study because we don’t always have the necessary tools. However, it’s a problem that can be solved. Finding a solution will be simple if we work together. Humans present the biggest obstacle. We present the greatest obstacle, in my opinion. I believe we can do a lot if we can separate the things that separate us and then unite as a single nation, area, or central Africa.
Why the choice of the theme of this year’s Street Whale Festival?
This year’s theme focuses on using the ocean’s power and cooperation to take more significant action. This year, we placed a major emphasis on synergy since, as I mentioned before, we need to cooperate in order to make a greater effect at the national, regional, and even global levels. We must increase our visibility on the global stage, and cooperation is the best way to achieve this. Furthermore, marine life does not reside in a single nation or room. They move around. In Gabon, Congo, and most likely even South Africa, you can view the same whales that you see in Cameroon. taking place along our coast. Since those species are coming into our countries, we must at the very least figure out how to share data and information about them. When you combine those statistics, you need to have a more comprehensive view of the situation on our coast.
What’s something that motivates you about this? What gives you the energy to go on?
My motivation stems from my love of animals. I adore aquatic creatures. They seem to me to be orphans. Typically, we give orphans a lot of attention.
Why marine mammals or marine animals are orphans?
Because of how little attention we pay to those species, I believe I have the authority to declare that I am a supporter of marine mammals, their father, and I will pique people’s interest in them. Since this is the only way to keep marine animals from going extinct, I plan to encourage interest in them among the public, private, academic, and local sectors.