Yaounde:

Two arrested with illegal Zebra skins

Two people were arrested on 27 January 2017 by wildlife officials of the Centre Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife for trafficking in 3 zebra skins, a leopard skin and several pieces of carved ivory. The two were arrested during an operation carried out in collaboration with  police officers from the 10th police station in Yaounde after the suspects had ferried the products inside a black car  to the Nlongkakneighbourhood in Yaounde. As they pulled clear and stopped shortly before transactions could presumably begin, they were approached and questioned by a team that thoroughly searched the car and found two suspiciously bulging bags inside the boot of the car. The Last Great Ape Organisation (LAGA) provided technical assistance during the operation.

                According to sources close to the investigations, the zebra skins came all the way from Tanzania and the operation is assumed to be the first ever arrest operation involving the zebra in the country. They say the suspects, aged 42 and 32, worked as a team of at least three. The third member of the gang who is the supplier, furnishing wildlife products, is still at large. One of the traffickers sells several art objects in front of a popular bank opposite the CNPS head office in Yaounde. The second trafficker is said to be a sculptor who carves ivory among other products.

                Cameroon is not a zebra range state and has no populations of zebras  existing in the wild and  observers say the arrest demonstrates the extent of the illegal trade in skins which spans thousands of miles and across several countries. This is done by a professional network of buyers, smugglers and sellers who all collude for common purpose and aim, to make as much money from the illegal trade as possible but who also have little concern about the threats posed to wildlife species on the continent today.

                The two are presently behind bars while the prosecution process is underway. According to the wildlife law, anyone found in possession of a protected wildlife species is considered to have captured or skill the animal and is therefore liable to a prison term of up to 3 years and or payment of a fine of up to 10 million CFA francs. The two risk these penalties even for the trafficking in zebra skins although there are no zebras in the country. The law nevertheless classifies zebras, so it is illegal to trade in the species in the country.

                Zebra skins and hides are mainly used in the fashion industry for luxury handbags and shoes but they are also used for decorative purposes inside sitting rooms. It had been claimed by some observers that the trafficking in the country is mainly for decorative purposes while some skins are simply transiting to other countries in West Africa.

                Among the three species of zebras, the plains zebra is the most common and it is found mostly in Southern and Eastern Africa, ranging from South Sudan to as far as southern Angola and northern South Africa while the Grevy’s zebra is the rarest of the three species;  found in Ethiopia and Kenya. The mountain zebra populates Southwest Africa, found in countries including Angola and Namibia.

Pic

Zebra skins