Liberia has exceptional biodiversity and is home to many iconic and threatened species such as the western chimpanzee, forest elephant and pygmy hippopotamus. However, due to its coastal location and large port, it is a hotspot for the illegal trade in wildlife and, as a result, wildlife populations in Liberia and neighbouring countries are under serious threat.
Liberia’s Forest Development Authority (FDA) is leading the fight against international wildlife trafficking, and although the government has recently passed a number of laws around environmental conservation and wildlife trade, enforcement is difficult due to a lack of capacity and resources. Rangers are employed at key checkpoints with the aim of intercepting wildlife traffickers on their way to Monrovia and other large port cities. However, a lack of resources and communications equipment was limiting how effectively the checkpoint rangers could carry out their vital work.
Local wildlife charity, Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection (LCRP), is dedicated to rescuing and caring for chimpanzees caught up in the bushmeat and international trafficking trade, and the conservation of wild chimpanzee populations. Working alongside LCRP and the FDA, we were able to provide funding to provide 20 checkpoint rangers with smart phones. This has had a significant impact on the rangers’ effectiveness, enabling them to communicate quickly with each other and with the authorities about cases of wildlife trafficking, complete online paperwork immediately as incidents occur, quickly identify species and collect photographic evidence to build up a database of incidents and species involved.
Ultimately, the provision of these smart phones will lead to more successful arrests and prosecutions, more wildlife protected from illegal trade and better protection of species and habitats in Liberia.
