Conservationists urge Congo to reverse pay-to-poach decision
France24
July 22, 2021
Environmentalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday urged the
government to reverse a move to tax rather than forbid poaching, saying the
move endangered millions in conservation funds.
"With this measure to maximise revenues, the Congolese Institute for
Conservation of Nature (ICCN) won't be able to do its work of preserving
species in danger of dying out," the organisation's chief Cosma Wilungula
told reporters at a news conference.
In a joint decision this month, the DRC's environment and finance
ministries said killing, owning or selling protected species would be
allowed on payment of a tax.
It now costs $2,885 to kill a forest elephant, while the amount to kill,
eat or sell a mountain gorilla is $1,925.
"This decree does away with (the crime of) illegal trafficking of protected
species," Wilunga said, warning that backers would not pay out around $32
million used for conservation each year if the rule stands.
He added that the comparatively low tax payments would create a profit
incentive for poaching, with elephant ivory commanding up to $600 per
kilogramme (2.2 pounds) on the local market and a baby gorilla worth
$100,000.
Just this month, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee removed the DRC's vast
Salonga national park from a list of threatened sites, praising
conservation efforts including for forest elephants and bonobo apes.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210722-conservationists-urge-congo-to-reverse-pay-to-poach-decision
Conservationists urge Congo to reverse pay-to-poach decision
France24
July 22, 2021
Environmentalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday urged the
government to reverse a move to tax rather than forbid poaching, saying the
move endangered millions in conservation funds.
"With this measure to maximise revenues, the Congolese Institute for
Conservation of Nature (ICCN) won't be able to do its work of preserving
species in danger of dying out," the organisation's chief Cosma Wilungula
told reporters at a news conference.
In a joint decision this month, the DRC's environment and finance
ministries said killing, owning or selling protected species would be
allowed on payment of a tax.
It now costs $2,885 to kill a forest elephant, while the amount to kill,
eat or sell a mountain gorilla is $1,925.
"This decree does away with (the crime of) illegal trafficking of protected
species," Wilunga said, warning that backers would not pay out around $32
million used for conservation each year if the rule stands.
He added that the comparatively low tax payments would create a profit
incentive for poaching, with elephant ivory commanding up to $600 per
kilogramme (2.2 pounds) on the local market and a baby gorilla worth
$100,000.
Just this month, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee removed the DRC's vast
Salonga national park from a list of threatened sites, praising
conservation efforts including for forest elephants and bonobo apes.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210722-conservationists-urge-congo-to-reverse-pay-to-poach-decision