ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Wildlife Development and Conservation Authority (EWDCA) disclosed that it is hopeful to receive up-to-date information from the ETRSS – 1 satellite for its wildlife conservation activities.
Approached by The Ethiopian Herald, EWDCA Communication Affairs Director Getinet Yigzaw said that the satellite that blasted off last Friday to space will play significant role in collecting and transmitting latest information that the authority desires to achieve conservation.
The satellite will help to get basic information about the level of rainfall, wind blowing and the earth movement and other disaster indications including wildfire possibilities, he stated. The launching of the satellite gives hope to EWDCA to strengthen wildlife conservation with reliable information supported by state-of-the-art technology, he said.
“Perceptive of the exact location, figures of wildlife resources of the country will enable us to preserve and develop it from ecological and tourism aspects.” As to him, sequential climate change is threatening wildlife. Especially, the increment of CO2 emission by seven percent that cause melting ice from arctic is triggering flash flooding in various countries.
The variable climate is also affecting Ethiopia through inducing unpredictable weather condition to its agrarian economy that has strong bond with wildlife, the director stated. Therefore, the satellite will have crucial role in alerting the authority for disaster and risk management preparedness, he noted.
The satellite also transmits essential information that helps to environment, forest, wildlife and agricultural development, he indicated. Getinet said that the information from the satellite will unveiled the national treasure situated above and underneath of the earth so that the government will utilize it to improve the lives of its people.
On the other hand, the economic growth backs wildlife conservation in terms of developing buffer zone between the communities and parks, he pointed out. Getinet underlined that conducting wildlife conservation based on updated information is a big advancement to the country that has 1.1 million square km area of which more than eight percent is covered by 27 parks and sanctuaries.
The country had not have blasted off such satellite so that it was obliged to buy information from other countries with high amount of hard currency. Therefore, the ETRSS-1 has also a big role in saving country’s foreign currency that has been spent to such information, he said.
He indicated that traditionally, country’s satellite information was obtained from France communication companies and especially from Agence France-Presse. The ministry of innovation and technology will interconnect governmental and non-governmental institutions including EWDCA to disseminate the desired information from the satellite on time, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald, December 24/2019
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
