One of Africa’s noted attributes—and an underpinning of the continent’s tourism industry—is its abundant wildlife. African wildlife faces significant threats to its future, however, two of which are habitat encroachment and poaching. Africa’s rapidly growing human population increasingly competes with wildlife for resources and land. Meanwhile illegal hunters kill animals for food or for valuable trade commodities. Most noted by the media was the plight of the African elephant. During the 1970s and 1980s poachers killed an estimated seventy thousand specimens annually for their ivory tusks.

African nations and the world community have taken several steps to respond to the twin threats of habitat encroachment and poaching. To protect habitat, Africa has designated 185,000 square miles of land as wildlife reserves and national parks. To protect elephants, the Convention on the International...