The acting director of wildlife service in South Sudan’s Western Lakes State, Col. Karlo Kamic Mariano has warned citizens against the random killing of the various wildlife species.
Kamic told Radio Tamazuj those who kill wildlife will be tried in court.
“The fine for killing first class animals in Western Lakes State is $1,000 and second class animals $500 or third class animals $300. The life compensation for first class animals such as elephants, rhinos and giraffes is $12,000 while compensation for second and third animals is $6,000 and $3,000 respectively,” Kamic said Thursday.
He added, “In addition, there is imprisonment of five years for killing a first class animal, three years imprisonment for killing a second class animal and killing a third class animal attracts a one year jail term”.
According to the senior wildlife official, authorities will immediately confiscate all machines used, meat, hides and trophies discovered.
He said wildlife should be maintained and utilized to develop the country.
“If we keep and protect our wildlife well, it will benefit the country because it is not like oil which is a non-renewable resource. Wildlife can contribute highly to the development of the nation and that is the aim of protecting it,” stressed Kamic.
“Our aim as Western Lakes State citizens is to protect wildlife,” he added.
Kamic said some locals found with four bags of bush meat were last month sentenced by a court in Rumbek, while others paid fines.
The court, he added, also confiscated machine guns from the locals.
Meanwhile the wildlife official disclosed that they had obtained reports that a group of poachers from Western Equatoria region crossed into the southern national park with aims to kill animals.
“Now we are trying to go there, but no ammunition and enough forces that can go for reinforcement,” said Kamic.
According to conservationists, before the war broke out in December 2013, South Sudan’s forests and savannah were home to numerous rare and threatened wildlife.