Wildlife Still Survives Poachers in Remote African Jungle
11/1/99
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Title: Wildlife Still Survives Poachers in Remote African Jungle
Source: National Geographic Society. Produced in partnership with
Environmental News Network
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: November 1, 1999
Byline: Robinson Shaw
Hank Morgenstern and guide Kolaga Thomas were part of an expedition
into the Central African Republic to determine wildlife numbers.
An expedition into the remote forest of the Central African Republic
to determine if any animals have survived 20 years of poaching has
been deemed a success by a 12-member expedition team. "We heard all
kinds of stories about complete decimation of the wildlife," said
Randy Hayes, an expedition member from Rainforest Action Network
(RAN). "What we found is that the area is ripe for restoration
projects. All major species of wildlife are still there, except for
the giraffe. We believe a modest effort to halt poaching in the next
decade would allow the wildlife numbers to return to something akin
to the original herd numbers."
The expedition arrived in the remote town of Rafa< October 24 after
completing a 19-day journey down 280 miles (451 kilometers) of the
upper Chinko River, the first recorded descent of the river. The
townspeople of Rafa< last saw westerners in 1964.
The team includes several members from African Rainforest and River
Conservation, a tracker, a presidential guard from the republic, a
writer and a photographer from National Geographic ADVENTURE
magazine, and three members of RAN.
WORTH THE RISK OF HUMAN LIFE
Prior to the expedition, members were warned about poachers, an
unruly river, and native wildlife such as lions, hippopotamuses, and
crocodiles. "The trip had a certain amount of danger. On the other
hand, it's an area that is so incredibly rich in wildlife yet so
lacking in terms of people knowing or understanding what it needs for
protection," said Hayes.
The team avoided poachers by going during the rainy season. They
mastered the crocodile-infested river with three rafts, three
inflatable kayaks, and an old topographic map. "The Chinko River
Basin has no roads, no mining, no logging, and very few people. In
much of the area there are no people. What people were there have
been driven out because of their interaction with poachers," said
Hayes.
The townspeople of Rafa<, who hadn't seen westerners since 1964,
welcome members of the expedition.
PROTECTION FROM POACHING
Prior to the 1980s, the river basin was home to vast herds of
elephants, giraffes, giant elands (antelope), lions, cougars, forest
buffaloes, hippopotamuses and chimpanzee. Well-armed poachers,
primarily from neighboring Sudan, have wiped out all but a few of
these animal populations. The expedition did not see any signs of
giraffes, and despite reports that chimpanzee were in the area, the
team didn't see any.
The expeditions' tracker, Kolaga Thomas, spent his life growing up in
the river basin. "His father was also a tracker and hunter. He
[Thomas] was first there in the 1960s so he knew as a kid what the
animal population was like there. When we saw the first hippo he said
that's probably the last hippo on the Chinko River, but we saw a
hippo almost every day on river. We didn't see hoards of them;
however, they are there and we can help them come back," said Hayes.
"It is a little-known area but it's not inconsequential. We think it
has tremendous potential to be one of the greatest wildlife areas on
the planet," said Hayes.
The 12-person team now turns its attention to working with republic
officials to put their wildlife conservation strategies in place,
which includes a team of armed anti-poaching guards.
National Geographic Society's Expeditions Council helped fund the
expedition.