AWF calls for tough laws against poachers
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Thursday August 17, 2017 11:16
At a media briefing held in Gaborone yesterday, Muruthi expressed great concern over the decreasing numbers of wildlife in most African countries due to poaching. “Some countries have weak laws hence they have repeat offenders. Wildlife crime is not taken seriously in many countries. It is important for wildlife to be safe guarded,” he said.
He explained that AWF would hold a workshop with the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP aimed at training local prosecutors, investigators and other stakeholders on the standard tools used to investigate and prosecute wildlife crimes. “In this workshop, we are working with wildlife officers, prosecutors, judges and other stakeholders. This workshop is the training tool on how to investigate and prosecute wildlife crime according to the law. Prosecutors and judges are looking at broader types of crime and therefore it is essential to put them on board and show them the importance of taking appropriate measures to fight wildlife crimes according to the country’s laws,” he said.
He explained that the organisation wants to make sure that Botswana implements its laws or cut backs poaching. He pointed out that Botswana houses the majority of elephants in Africa and the AWF did not want poaching to affect this status. “We are working with more than 15 countries in Africa and we encounter illegal killing of wildlife. This is because some countries have weak laws, which mean the punishment for these crimes is very lenient. It is more like a pat on the back, hence criminals and poachers make profits. That is why we have repeat offenders,” he said.
According to Muruthi, rhino populations are declining in South Africa because poaching has been very high in the last 10 years. Botswana and Kenya are on the frontline in curbing this poaching and thus have lower incidence.
The AWF is the oldest international conservation organisation focused solely on Africa. Since its founding in 1961, the foundation has recognised that Africa’s wildlife resources and ecosystem are critical to the future prosperity of Africa and its people.
AWF targets large areas of land that extend beyond single parks and even national boundaries. It implements a variety of conservation initiatives all of which are centred around the three specific areas of land, wildlife and people.
AWF also incorporates climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts into many of its projects. It also works with governmental partners and regional bodies to effect policy change.