Is it worth the sacrifice?

Across South Sudan, a rich natural wildlife is being sacrificed to appease hunger or being poached for commercial profit

The Boma National Park is the most threatened habitat in Southern Sudan.  It comprises one of the largest intact savannas and woodland ecosystems remaining in Africa, supporting an antelope migration comprising 1.2 million white eared kob, mongala gazelle and tiang, rivaling that of the wild beast migration in Serengeti. The landscape also contains the sudd, the largest wetland in Africa, of inestimable value to the River Nile, the protection of endemic species and the backbone of local livelihoods. In addition to supporting local livelihoods the landscape contains oil reserves and other valuable resources, which will be an important driver for the broader economic development of the region.

Marvis Birungi meets a number of wildlife groups in Juba and discovers that commercial poaching is practiced on a large scale.   USAID amongst others is trying to involve different sectors like agriculture, infrastructure, wild life conservation society and other organizations to look at how this devastation of Southern Sudan wildlife can be prevented.

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Poached animal meat discovered in Boma National Park, Jonglei State.

Young boys selling monkey meat in Jonglei

Poached meat being sold illegally in Boma National Park