South Sudan wants to restore and protect its natural parks and game reserves, decimated by a civil war that displaced millions of people and pushed tens of thousands to the brink of starvation.
News
Bucknell University/FFI
By Tim Knight,
18th February 2021
The future of globally important wildlife – including endangered chimpanzees and pangolins – looks a little brighter after over 17,000 hectares of severely threatened forest habitat in an ecologically unique region of South Sudan were granted formal protection.
The regazettement of Bangangai Game Reserve will ensure that this unhailed haven of biodiversity is brought under more effective management at what is a crucial juncture for the country’s impressive but imperilled natural wonders.
A decade has elapsed since Fauna & Flora International (FFI) accepted an invitation to help kick-start conservation in the newly declared Republic of South Sudan. Given our proven track record of operating in crisis and conflict zones, we were never likely to decline such an opportunity.
African wild dog’s are one of Africa’s rarest carnivores. Credit: FFI
Images captured on camera traps installed in South Sudan’s Southern National Park included an African wild dog, one of the continent’s rarest carnivores, providing further evidence that South Sudan is a potential treasure trove of threatened species whose populations are in steep decline elsewhere in Africa.
“The early camera-trap images have come up with some thrilling results and we expect more exciting discoveries the longer the cameras are out in the field. FFI’s team had to adapt operations when the Covid-19 restrictions came into force, only making the challenge more interesting.” Benoit Morkel, FFI Landscape Manager, South Sudan