Wild Africa Fund and AREWA24 TV Join Forces to Extend “Dr. Mark’s Animal TV Show for Kids” to Hausa-Speaking Audiences in Northern Nigeria

LAGOS/Nigeria: In an exciting partnership, the Wild Africa Fund and Wild Africa Fund have collaborated to bring the renowned wildlife-focused television series, “Dr. Mark’s Animal TV Show for Kids,” to the Hausa-speaking audiences across the Northern region. Mr. Festus Iyorah, the Nigerian Representative of the Wild Africa Fund, made the announcement in a statement released on Friday from Lagos.

The show made its grand debut on AREWA24 TV during primetime on Thursday, January 4th, marking a significant milestone in promoting wildlife education among Nigerian youth. Aimed primarily at children aged seven to fourteen, the series seeks to enlighten them about Nigeria’s diverse biodiversity and the crucial role they play in its conservation.

Iyorah revealed that the program is scheduled to air every Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. (WAT), accompanied by a repeat broadcast at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays, accessible on DSTV Channel 261, GOtv Channel 136, and StarTimes Channel 138. Additionally, the show will be available on CANAL+ Channel 297 and Eutelsat 16A for free-to-air satellite viewers.

Joseph Arback, the Chief Executive Officer of AREWA24, emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating, “By partnering with Wild Africa Fund to voice-dub Dr. Mark’s Animal Show into Hausa, we aim to bring greater awareness to millions of future Nigerian wildlife conservation activists and make learning about wildlife fun for the whole family.”

However, the initiative comes amidst growing concerns regarding the decline of iconic wildlife species across Africa. Iyorah expressed alarm over the disappearance of species like lions, gorillas, pangolins, leopards, chimpanzees, sea turtles, vultures, and various monkey species, attributing the threat to factors such as land clearance for agriculture, illegal logging, and human-wildlife conflicts.

Moreover, Nigeria’s involvement in the illicit wildlife trade has intensified, involving pangolin scales and ivory. Iyorah highlighted Nigeria Customs Services’ seizures of crucial shipments of pangolin scales, ivory, and other illegal wildlife commodities in recent times, shedding light on the severity of the issue.

With less than 50 lions, 100 gorillas, 500 elephants, and 2,300 chimpanzees remaining in Nigeria’s wilderness, the urgency to raise awareness is palpable. Iyorah stressed the importance of informing the public, particularly the younger generation, who are poised to lead conservation efforts in the coming years.

Dr. Mark’s Animal TV show, spanning 11 episodes and each episode exceeding 24 minutes, delves deep into various animal species, their characteristics, ecological significance, conservation status, threats faced, and actionable steps for protection. The inaugural season features animals such as pangolins, parrots, snakes, turtles, lions, leopards, cheetahs, chimpanzees, gorillas, elephants, crocodiles, rhinos, and domestic animals like dogs. Interactive quizzes complement the show, enhancing knowledge retention and viewer engagement.

Hosted by Dr. Mark Ofua, the show encourages parents and guardians to join their children in watching, presenting a unique opportunity to delve into Nigeria’s remarkable biodiversity. Ofua emphasized the significance of translating the show into Hausa, ensuring that hinterland communities’ children comprehend the exciting and educational content in a language familiar to them.

Iyorah also noted that while the show originated in English and currently airs on Nigeria’s SilverbirdTV and StarTimes, it has gained popularity across Africa, being broadcasted on platforms such as Namibia’s OneAfrica, South Africa’s People’s Weather, Zimbabwe’s NRTV, and Rwanda’s Flash TV.