Wildlife officers in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State have arrested six suspected poachers and seven firearms in three different game reserves.
Speaking to the media in the state capital Yambio on Saturday, the Director of Wildlife Services Brigadier General Joseph Mathew Waure said the suspects will be taken to court.
“The anti-poaching operation has started in Western Equatoria generally. In Maridi we recovered two guns, in Bire-kpatuo Game Reserve we recovered two guns and in Bangangai Game Reserve we recovered three guns, and these six people in front of us here we arrested them in the Southern National Park because it is restricted and no one should enter the national park without our permission,” Gen. Mathew said.
According to the wildlife official, poaching has been banned and no bush meat is allowed in the markets across the state.
“Now we are very happy because the law of South Sudan on wildlife states that nobody should enter the protected areas, nobody should sell bush meat and we made a decision on 1st December 2021, no-poaching should take place in Western Equatoria. In general, no bush meat should be found in the markets,” Gen. Mathew added.
He adds, “We are appealing to the people of South Sudan and all army forces not to enter and kill our resources because wildlife resources are as important as the crude oil.”
Western Equatoria State is home to the Southern National Park, Bangangai, and Bure Kparuo Game Reserves.