Sunday’s Elephant Poachers

Sunday’s Elephant Poachers

Category: Uncategorized | Date: May 01 2008 | By: admin

Enquiries lead by Congolese Wilidlife Authority ICCN has established that the six elephant poachers caught Sunday were not FDLR as I wrote. They are local villagers hired by some corrupted Congolese Army Officers. They are from Kibirizi, a village at 15 km in the Western side of Rwindi, the ICCN HQ of the central sector of Virunga National Park. The one in yellow T-Shirt is the shooter.

local villagers from Kibirizi who shot elephant

the shooter

They shot the elephant just 200 m near a position of the FARDC in Kahunga. Being in the forest, they didn’t realize that they were just near an Army position. That is the reason they were caught. The total number of elephants killed might be more than 14 because some elephants shot far in the bush couldn’t be recorded. In the central sector, ICCN has lost the control of large Mammals habitat occupied by FDLR-Interahamwe (Rwandan Militias). Also, two brigades of the Army (9^th and 15^th) are deployed in that sector. In these conditions, wildlife rangers have problems to put an end to this poaching. The poachers are still in the hands of the 9^th Brigade in Rwindi. Conservationists should keep a close eye to make sure the poachers are prosecuted. Tusks have been collected by ICCN HQ in Goma.

tusks

9 Responses to “Sunday’s Elephant Poachers”

Joanne - UK, on 01 May 2008

Sorry, but I hope they’re locked up and have the key chucked away! scum!

sheryl, washington dc, on 01 May 2008

Have they given the names of the FARDC officers who hired them? They should be prosecuted as well.

Virginia, on 01 May 2008

I agree with Joanne. Thanks for the update.

Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 01 May 2008

I couldn’t even comment on the post about these elephants being butchered. Again, we feel so impotent. Just worrying about the remaining population of these beautiful creatures makes me really sad. Nature is trying to address this problem, over the last century the tusks of elephants are getting smaller, but time in not on their side. And neither is man.

Lucia Cristiana, Brasil, on 01 May 2008

This kill and the bad news about lifting on ban of killing elephants of South Africa. What can we do to help these poor elephants?

Ephrem Balole, on 02 May 2008

Dear all
Thank you for your comments. It very sad to inform you that there are 3 more elephants killed yesterday whose remainings have been discovered today by rangers in Rwindi sector. The 6 poachers above are not yet at the court. ICCN HQ in Goma did an official demand of prosecution against them. I will keep you updated

Nancy, on 02 May 2008

This is so horrible. I have to say I have far more hostile feelings about the appetite for ivory than I do toward the poachers, who I’m guessing lack education to know better & basic resources to sustain themselves. I know they have fewer choices than I do. I simply don’t understand the lust for such things. It strikes me as obscene. And it is certainly gutless and cruel. I don’t mean to be a bleeding heart, but I don’t think that simply punishing the poachers & throwing away the key will solve much. As long as there is demand, and people profiting, and people living in such desperate, limited situations that they stoop to such measures to survive, it will go on. God bless the sweet elephant souls. God bless Africa…

Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 02 May 2008

Dear God, What can we do, any suggestions? Nancy, I doubt these poachers will see the inside of a cell. But they should and all the big wheels, as well. Why isn’t the media running with this story…where is the outcry?

Joannah, on 09 May 2008

I feel so bad for those elephants, I mean, they should have a cahnce to live. They didn’t do anything wrong to be hurt or killed. Those who kill them should be locked up!

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