Wildlife Threatened In Lakes State

22 July 2010 - (Rumbek) – About ten elephants and many other wild animals have been killed in Lakes state since the beginning of the year.

The wildlife authorities in Lakes state have accused armed youths in the state of killing the wildlife for consumption and commercial purposes.

The acting Director for Wildlife Resources in Lakes state, Brigadier Mabor Runrac Linpiny, spoke to SRS on Wednesday.

He urged the state government to conduct disarmament exercises in the state.

[Mabor Runrac]: “People always kill the animals in Lakes state due to the presence of many guns in the hands of civilians. If the guns are now removed from the hands of civilians that could be better, so I urge the state authority, especially the governor of Lakes state, to take the guns from the hands of civilians and put theses guns into the stores. If these guns are put into the stores that can make it easy for the police forces to protect the animals which may come to us here. The animals which are being killed here in Lakes state are many. We have received ten elephants which were killed this year but now we are following these culprits. We have already spoken to the area chiefs to come and tell us who killed these animals because some people killed them for their consumption and others kill them to get the elephant tasks for sale. Then they will buy cows using that money.”

Runrac said that anyone found killing animals like elephants shall be subjected to 14 years imprisonment.