NAIROBI, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Enhanced conservation of wildlife habitats in Africa should be prioritized in order to minimize threats posed by climate change, urbanization and population pressure, a campaigner said on Tuesday.

Edith Kabesiime, wildlife campaigns manager at African Office of World Animal Protection, said that innovative approaches are required to halt depletion of wildlife sanctuaries in the continent and boost tourism.

"It is crucial for African governments to enact policies that strengthen protection of wildlife habitats as they face multiple threats. Animals must be allowed to thrive in the wild," Kabesiime said at a virtual forum in Nairobi.

She noted that the continent is home to biodiversity hotspots whose ecological health is key to survival of iconic wildlife species like giant herbivores, carnivores, reptiles and birds.

Kabesiime said that international solidarity combined with policy shift, community-based education, innovative financing and technology uptake is key to boosting conservation of Africa's vast wildlife habitats.

She emphasized that tackling the triple ecological crisis of pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss will have positive outcomes on efforts to conserve Africa's wildlife heritage.

Kabesiime said that adoption of sustainable production and consumption practices combined with action on illegal encroachment is key to boosting ecological integrity of Africa's wildlands.

And the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, presents an opportunity to raise visibility on the plight of Africa's wildlife habitats, Kabesiime said. Enditem

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