Bus stop

Working to shut down illegal bushmeat trade – a bus was searched in December and hundreds of kilograms of bushmeat unveiled! The companies are now being held accountable and suspects involved in the traffic are being arrested by the Congolese authorities and held while on trial.

Here we see the unfortunate reality of illegal bushmeat trade: the fresh carcass of a mandrill, likely poached in northern Congo, where the mandrill is very rare. Other protected species are often trafficked in buses coming from northern Congo back to Brazzaville, both as bushmeat and other products, such as ivory.

Besides integrally protected species, massive numbers of partially protected species are trafficked by networks unfazed by the fact that Congo is currently in closed hunting season. Transporters were sensitized to the closed hunting season by banners placed on key routes in the weeks preceding this seizure, including the road where this recent seizure was made.

In the past, transporters benefited from a certain impunity, but PALF is working to put an end to this, holding those who abet wildlife criminals responsible. Indeed, impunity encourages such dubious partnerships to flourish, and although these first steps will need lots of follow-up work, as we begin 2013 we are prepared to take on these challenges.

Bushmeat seized in northern Congo in December 2012.