Liberia: Illegal hunters, miners to be evicted from Sapo NP

MONROVIA – Many of Liberia’s birds and other animal species, slated for conservation because they are considered ‘threatened’ (that is, in danger of disappearing), are increasingly being killed by hundreds of illegal hunters in the Sapo National Park, while the illegal mining population has increased to about 5,000 occupants, local residents say.

Elders, women and youths of Pyne’s Town District told the Daily Observer over the weekend that hundreds of divers kinds of animals die weekly due to illegal hunting, although some of the illegal hunters have been arrested by rangers of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA).

Research conducted has unearthed that the illegal hunting of the animals is carried out by illegal occupants of the park as well as people from neighboring towns in Sinoe, River Gee and Grand Gedeh Counties. These groups are reportedly killing the animals for food and for sale.

“We have seen all kinds of dried and fresh dead animals. The FDA people are doing well, but the government needs to do more,” one elder, identified as Oldma Doe, area asserted.

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