News Bulletin of the WWF Jengi SE Project Issue of July 2003
Updates in this issue:
- Jengi links conservation and health for livelihoods
- Jengi team supports Campo Ma’an project
- Hippopotamus at Djembe base
- Capacity building initiatives
- SFM and certification
- Tom the green soldier (Feature)
Bastion of poachers rooted out of Lobeke
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he entire conservation family in the South East region of Cameroon heaved a sigh of relief this month following the arrest of three notorious poachers who were not only big threats to animal life in the forest but also a serious menace to the security of those manning the parks. The three poachers are meditating over their nefarious acts behind the bars with one of them already transferred to Yaounde, Cameroon’s capital, to stand judgement in a military Tribunal. The transferred poacher will in addition to his forest crimes answer charges concerning war arms found in his possession.
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Sparked by a tip off from some concerned locals, game rangers, led by the no-nonsense Thomas Mbot and backed by local gendarmerie officials, sweep through the forest area at the peripheries of the Lobeke Park searching behind every tree or shrub. Reports had spread that about six elephants had been butchered and that plans were underway for a massacre. An emergency meeting between WWF Jengi and partners (MINEF and GTZ) got the best game rangers out on the trail to weed out the dare-devils. MINEF delegate for the area, Jean Claude Ndo threw all his weight behind the mission with the emphatic support of WWF Jengi Manager, Leonard Usongo. The thorough and systematic search for the rudeless poachers yielded. The team sprang on to the poachers in the heart of the forest and just in time to met the trio hacking out parts of a fallen mammal.
After initial ruffling and attempts by the poachers to reach for their guns and aim, they were over powered and taken to the nearest gendarmerie station at Libongo for legal procedures to begin.
One of the arrested poachers was identified as the same person who last November threatened to gun down a WWF eco-monitoring team in the forest and ended up robbing them of some valuables. Villagers around Lobeke too are celebrating the arrest. One old man at Mambele village said: “with this gang put out of action, I am sure our spirit of the forest (Jengi) will be at peace”
Hundreds turn out for WWF health/conservation campaign
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undreds of locals abandoned their daily chores recently in some seven villages in the South East of Cameroon to particpate in health/conservation campaigns organised by WWF Jengi project. This was in fulfilment of a dream by the project that combining health sensitization campaigns and environmental education constitutes an important aspect in building strong and vibrant communities that would guarantee a long term conservation vision of sustainable natural resource and development.
Despite the plenty of farm work during this time of the year, Baka pygmies and their Bantu brothers, men and women, the old and the young came together to listen, discuss and ask questions about health and conservation issues. With communication support from the Jengi Project, Health Scouts that were trained recently for the purpose took turns in the different villages to talk about family planning, STDs and malaria. The Jengi team led by Communication Officer, Peter Ngea and Senior Field Assistant, Vincent Anong were also dragged into the game by a volley of questions on WWF and its mission. Judging from the heated discussions and questions from the population, it was evident that linking conservation and health through active participation for the betterment of the livelihood of the people is important.
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The health/conservation programme is being carried out with the help of audio-visuals and posters. Some 500 posters were put up in Ndongo, Leke, Mindourou, Moloundou, Nguilili, Kika and Mbangou. The pilot project covers four village-based resource management Committees, COVAREFs.
Jengi team gives support to Campo Ma’an project
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two-man team from Jengi paid a two-day working visit to the WWF Campo Ma’an Project situated in the South of Cameroon. Bio-monitoring Officer, Zacharie Nzooh and Communication Officer, Peter Ngea were at the region to give support to the young team of Campo Ma’an and to inject some impetus into the promising project taken over by WWF since Jauary 2003.
Although its biological integrity has been compromised over extensive areas by logging and poaching, Campo Ma’an is considered important to conservation primarily due to its highly biologically diversified Congolese coastal forest. Its extensive area of forested seashore enhances its importance as a protected area. Its extensive and unspoiled sand/rocky shoreline makes it probably one of Cameroon’s most picturestique sites with reasonable high tourist value. It is rich in a wide range of species, and a refuge for various taxonomic endemics. Campo is most important for its high diversity of plants. It plays a primordial role as a sanctuary for the protection of the elephant, the lowland gorilla, the chimpanzee, hippo, giant pangolin, black colobus, mandrill, sea turtles and leopard. The avifauna is also rich and diverse. The grey-necked rock fowl is very much present and the area is an important migration site for hornbills.
The visit of the Jengi team permitted an overall appraisal of Campo Ma’an from a communication perspective and to gather material on the ground that will help constitute a base on the panda website as per call of action of a May Communication Workshop in Yaounde.
The mission also seeked to collect basic information that will lay a groundwork for ecological monitoring within and around the Campo ma’an National Park.
Jengi Project Manager, Leonard Usongo who gave his blessings for the trip highlighted the importance of Campo Ma’an to Jengi saying the coastal project is a clear example of magnification. Campo Ma’an ‘s project Manager, Bertin Tchikangwa, was formerly the Collaborative Management Adviser for Jengi.
Jengi Briefs
SFM: A team is currently on the field to gather complimentary information for data analysis as part of Jengi’s role in a convention with Belgian Logging group, Decolvaenare to work towards achieving certification. More information from animal hotspots within the forest concession is needed before a final report of the present state of the forest is produced.
Tagged Bongo: Fears that the first ever tagged bongo in the SE was in poor health has been put to rest. A mission to track the animal came out of the forest satisfied that all is fine. The bongo was seen in a herd with its collar intact. But Field Assistant, Desire Dontego who led the team said the animal seem to have recovered from a snare encounter and that apart from a healing scar on its hind legs, the bongo was observed to be alright.
Eco-monitoring: The Jengi eco-monitoring team is presently compiling data analysis on a series of issues observed in the Lobeke Park. This includes the assessment of fauna and human activity inside the protected area, anti-poaching operations, bai observations among others. The draft report is expected to be ready by mid August. Meanwhile a similar report for Ngoila-Mintom has just been made. This is important for the reinforcement of transfrontal conservation (TRIMOND)
MIKE: A Jengi team is currently in the Boumba Bek National Park to collect preliminary data for animal and human activity around the place. This is done in close collaboration with the MIKE program.
Capacity Building: Through the active support of WWF Jengi project, a groundwork has been laid for the building of the capacity of agents charged with forest management in different structures such as MINEF, Forest concessions and relevant NGOs. A meeting to this effect involving all the parties held in the Jengi office in Yokadouma. A tentative time table and objectives to be attained was made on the basis of enabling SFM skills to relevant parties in the dormain.
Hippotamus at Djembe: The WWF base at Djembe, Lobeke National Park is undoubtedly a hotspot for animal activities. A home to hundreds of mega mammals such as elephants and gorillas, there are persistent reports of the presence of hippopotamus in the area. Djembe base attendant, Theodore Milong says the hippos are his closest but very aggressive neighbours by the banks of the Sangha. Meanwhile more elephants have been seen recently crossing to and from neighbouring Congo Brazzaville in the Sangha as if to confirm the urgency of a tri national park to harmonise their conservation.
Tom the green soldier (Feature)
(Feature had been published under the title: “poacher converts to game ranger”. Recent stunts pulled by the protagonist on the field obliges a replay of his story in this issue. Congrats Tom!
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homas Mbot is one of the most dreaded game rangers in Lobeke and beyond. He knows all the tricks and routes used by poachers in the region. He has been a determining element at difficult moments during anti-poaching drives. This performance is not surprising for someone who was once a poacher himself.
Thomas's height ( 1 metre, 85 cm) and robust physical appearance defeats the enemy even from a distance. Keeping guard at the main road that links the bustling logging and border town of Libongo, he springs up like a trained soldier at the sound of any approaching vehicle. The ranger leaves nothing to chance. With road barriers firmly in place, he and his colleagues get set to search the vehicle. As Thomas explains, this part of the job is tricky as timber truck drivers can hide "bushmeat" and even guns at places where one will least suspect in their vehicles.
" Having been in the business myself, there is no way poached meat can pass here unnoticed. Sometimes I use my nose to detect the presence of dead animals in a vehicle", he says.
With stubborn drivers and ruthless poachers, the game guards must be ready for a fight. And that is when Tom's agility and physique makes the difference. What is more, he is holder of a Black Belt in karate and that is big news in the region.
Seeing him at work, it is difficult to imagine that he was once on the other side of the fight.
"I had no job and I was already a man with a child and parents to take care of. Above all there was a booming market for "bushmeat".
A typical Bangando who together with his Baka pygmy friends had spent all life acquiring knowledge of the forests, poaching and "bushmeat" trade became the only way out. Thomas made quite some money hunting and trading between Libongo in Cameroon and crossing over the River Sangha to neighbouring Congo and Central African Republic. Today, he earns far less as a game ranger. Why did he convert?
"I was so touched during an anti-poaching campaign that took place in Libongo. Then I told myself that if I find an alternative job I will stop what I was doing", he recalls.
The alternative job soon came. As part of its activities to support the Ministry of Environment and Forest in the fight against forest crimes, WWF launched a programme to recruit and train locals as wildlife rangers.
" I was in Ouesso, ( Congo Brazzaville) selling "bushmeat" when I heard about the recruitment. That was the end of my business as a poacher" he says.
Three years on as a ranger, Thomas is still waxing strong. He is as proud as a Roman soldier in his green uniform and black boots. His only wish is that the number of game guards for the region be increased. There are only 20 wildlife rangers for about 2.7 million hectares (27.000 sq. km) of dense forest. This leaves most of the forests uncovered most of the time.
"If they increase our numbers and provide us with necessary equipment, I can assure you that poaching in this region will be a thing of the past. There are many of my friends in the village who are jobless and will readily become rangers if given the opportunity" a serious looking Thomas said as he takes out his whistle ready to stop an approaching pick-up vehicle.
Jengi picture of the month
These Baka kids trekked for about 3km to take part in the WWF health/conservation programme at the village of Mbangoue. All of them got a first ride in a car when the WWF van drove them back home after the occasion. ( Picture of the month by Peter Ngea)
La Voix de Lobeke is a WWF Jengi Newsletter.
Coordination: Dr Leonard Usongo
Editor-in-Chief: Peter Ngea
Collaboration: Zacharie Nzooh, Alphonse Ngniado,
Lambert Bene Bene, Expedit fouda & Anong Vincent
For more information about these stories and on the WWF SE Jengi Project, contact:
Peter Ngea, Communication Manager, WWF Jengi SE Project, P.O Box 6776 Yaounde - Cameroon. Tel: (237) 999 03 94 or (237) 221 70 84. E-mail
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