Gabon’s conservation efforts pitch local residents against elephants: Video
In Gabon, conservation efforts aimed at protecting forest elephants are increasingly clashing with local communities.
Villages like Bakoussou live in fear and frustration as the elephants, despite the installation of electric fences, continue to encroach on farmlands, damaging crops. Local residents, facing economic hardship, have voiced their concerns, and some even calling for drastic measures. "The solution is to shoot them," said Kevin Balondoboka, a resident told AFP.
Freddy Mayombo, a farmer in Bakoussou, explained that while the electric fences offer some protection, they are not foolproof. "For the moment, it helps us keep the elephants away, but when a whole herd comes, they can break through and get in," he said.
Aime Serge Mibambani Ndimba, a senior official from Gabon’s Ministry of Environment, emphasized the need for action to prevent people from taking matters into their own hands. "We must provide assistance to Gabon so that we do not arrive at situations where the population is rising up and taking law into their own hands," he warned, noting that such actions could lead to more violence against elephants.
The issue is widespread, with wildlife conflicts occurring in all nine provinces of Gabon, according to William Moukandja, chief of the Ndangui Wildlife Brigade. The situation has also led to public debate, especially after President Brice Oligui Nguema suggested that shooting elephants in self-defense may be necessary in some cases. This comment has sparked confusion, with Jeremy Mapangou, a lawyer for the NGO Conservation Justice, clarifying that the president's remarks were intended to address self-defense situations.
For many locals, the government’s priority seems unclear. "I don’t know what the government is protecting-human beings or animals?" questioned Mathias Mapiyo, a Bakoussou resident.
Others, like Viviane Metolo, worry about the impact on their livelihoods. "We support our children with agriculture. Now, if the agriculture we do is for the benefit of the elephant, what will happen to us?" she asked.
