How wildlife authorities are battling poaching in Jonglei

Wildlife authorities in Bor County say they are working in collaboration with African Park to mark a total of 300 games to enable effective countering of poachers.

At least 100 wild animals have been marked so far since Friday last week and another 200 are expected to be marked in the next few days.

“The team from African Park is expected to arrive in Bor tomorrow (Thursday) to do another marking for 200 animals before they return back to Juba. This will help the wildlife officers increase protection of the games,” said Capt Akol Majak, administrator of Wildlife Conservation in Bor County.

Wildlife authorities and local youth have been in controversy over killing of games for business, of which nine people charged with poaching and killing of wildlife officer were arrested during Easter Holidays.

The arrested suspects await high court judge who is not in the state to conduct trial.

Majak reveals that the GPS monitoring points will be placed in Bor and Juba to deter killing of animals for meat, mostly antelopes and gazelles.

Other reports show that killing of games for both meat and sale is still happening in the state on the watch of the wildlife forces as local well-armed youth resist arrest.

Wild animals from Boma National Park migrate seasonally to areas of Jonglei in search for water during dry season, placing them at risk of being killed by local people for meat and animals’ products such as lucrative elephants’ tusks and rhinos’ horns.

The poaching of wildlife and illegal business in animals’ products, according to researchers, are almost causing extinction of some animals across our country.