The organization Conserv Congo announced on Thursday 9 April that a baby chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) had been seized in Kisangani, in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the chimpanzee has been classified as an endangered species due to poaching and wildlife trafficking since 1996.
According to this organization, which is committed to combating wildlife trafficking, the operation took place on 7 April. It was carried out jointly with the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), the Congolese National Police and the Tshopo Public Prosecutor’s Office. “The baby chimpanzee, which had been illegally transported in a rucksack, was found alive and placed under protection. The animal was being transported in a rucksack to evade the vigilance of environmental service and ICCN checkpoints, particularly at the barrier located approximately 23 km from the city of Kisangani,” Congo Conserv reports.
Two senior officials implicated
The operation led to the arrest of two senior officials from different ministries, suspected of being involved in an illegal trafficking network dealing in protected species. “The baby chimpanzee was found in a hotel in Kisangani, where it was due to be shown to potential buyers. It was seized immediately and transferred to a zoo. The suspects, both senior officials from two different ministries, hold positions requiring frequent travel to forested regions. This access enabled them to participate directly in the illicit trade in protected species,” she explains.
Mbusa Mapoli Joël Mbusa Mapoli, a biologist and senior lecturer at the University of Nature Conservation and Development in Kasugho, states in an email to Mongabay that the trafficking of chimpanzees, although illegal, is common and often facilitated by the complicity of certain officials. According to him, this trafficking involves both civilians and state officials. “Animal species, even those protected by law, are subject to illegal trade, either alive or as meat. As for chimpanzees, they are captured and trafficked.”
Some residents also keep them on their land for reasons of prestige, often unaware of the law. It is a long chain involving civilians, police and the military. The main weakness remains the failure to enforce the laws, which leads to almost total impunity,” he explains.
Mbusa recommends strict enforcement of the law, improved working conditions for enforcement officers and the imposition of exemplary penalties. “The key recommendation is to enforce the law to the full extent. It is also imperative to improve conditions for officers at all levels of wildlife control. Exemplary sanctions must be imposed on offenders, regardless of their role or status,” he suggests.
The organization Congo Conserv also states that the alleged accomplices are already in the custody of the judicial authorities pending further investigations. “The two individuals arrested are public officials assigned to a toll booth on National Road No. 4, the route from which the animal originated. They are in the custody of the judicial authorities, and legal proceedings are underway in accordance with current legislation. Investigations are continuing to identify any accomplices and trace the entire trafficking chain,” the organization reassures.
Written by Victoire Katembo Mbuto
