Cameroun - Cameroon: Traditional notable arrested with fresh leopard skin

A traditional notable in the West region was arrested on October 18, alongside another suspect during a sting operation carried out by the Nde Divisional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife for attempts at selling two leopard skins in Bangangte.

A fresh leopard skin, an older one and pangolin scales were seized during the operation. According to a source that spoke on condition of anonymity, one of the alleged traffickers had travelled all the way from Bangolap, a few kilometers from Bangangte, on a bike with a leopard skin and pangolins scales, met the traditional notable who also had a skin. When they were about to make business with the carefully concealed products, wildlife law enforcement officials arrived on the scene and arrested him.

The operation was carried out in collaboration with the gendarmerie company in Bangangte and with the technical support of LAGA- an international organisation specialized in wildlife law enforcement. Following information coming in from early investigations, the skins were from a neighboring country. Further Investigations on the existence of a possible network of traffickers of leopard skins in the country are expected to be initiated by the conservation group LAGA. The source that spoke on condition of anonymity said the traditional notable had left several leads while carrying out his alleged trafficking. He is alleged to have sold at least 10 skins a month to his arrest.

A case file has been established against the traffickers who will be facing the courts in the near future. According to section 101 and 158 of the law governing the wildlife sector in the country, anyone caught in possession of part or whole of protected wildlife species is liable to a prison term from 1 to 3 years and or payment of a fine up to 10 million francs.

These sanctions, accompanied with other wildlife law enforcement measures, are intended to hamper traffickers from freely exercising their criminal activities and government is also using several other policies to this effect. A couple of days after the arrest of the two, the 17th Meeting of Parties to the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) took place in Douala and wildlife law enforcement was of critical interest to conservationists who came from several Central African countries to take part in this yearly event. They believe, it is part of a serious effort to stem extinction.

Since the mid-1970s, endangered wildlife species have attracted increasing interest and concern in the international community following early warning of their extinction. Efforts to conserve these endangered species have taken many forms and have involved attracting many actors including governments, the United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations.

The rate of extinction of the big cats and other wildlife species provided ample reasons for the World Conservation Union (IUCN) to come up with a widely accepted system for identifying wildlife species known as the Red List Categories. This system provides for the classification of the broadest range of wildlife species including the big cats

according to their risk of extinction. Leopards are listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List Categories.

They are illegally hunted in the sub region for their skin and skull which are also exported to neighbouring countries (Nigeria) through the West regions of Cameroon. The parts serve diverse cultural and decorative purposes. Until people start believing the reality of extinction, then wildlife species will continuously be killed to serve the egos of a few rich and influential individuals.

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