Poaching : crisis situation & mitigation approach

Poaching is the illegal hunting, killing or capturing of wild animals, and trespassing within the national park boundaries (see also Art 85, Law 94). Most of protected areas, hotspot of biodiversity are surrounded by ripariancommunities depending directly or indirectly of the forest. This community hunt in an unsustainable manner and in violation of park policy. In addition, huge quantities of bushmeat are being transported towards the town to supply high demand. A big transboundary trafficking of bushmeat is also done towards the neibouring contry (Nigeria).

Unfortunately, Poaching has a devastating effect on wildlife and the environment, leads to a drastic reduction of wildlife population and extinction of some key species (Elephant, Chimpanzee, Drill, Red-colobus, Buffalos…). At the rate things are going, tomorrow our kids will be talking about elephants and monkeys as we talk about mammoths and dragons.

Nevertheless, every living species has the right to exist, for this purpose, the species of class A shall be totally protected and may on no occasion be killed (see Art 78, Law 94). Then, any person found, at any time or any place, in possession of a whole or part of a live or dead class A or B protected animal shall be considered to have captured or killed the animal (Art 101, , Law 94). Consequently, a fine of from 3 to 10,000,000 CFA francs or imprisonment for from 1 to 3 years or both such fine and imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever commits offences protected animals (Art 158, Law 94).

Mitigation measures: Population should be more involved in collaborative management activities (CMA) and Green Income Generative Activities (IGA) like : Piggery farming, Poultry, Multipurpose Nurseries and ecotourism activities. And Conservation Education programme should be put in place to guide all this project.