Baby Chimp Rescued; Three Arrested

WildLife traffickers nabbed with 80kg of Pangolin Scales

Three people have been arrested in Ambam, the Ntem Valley Division for illegal possession of a baby chimpanzee and 80kg of pangolin scales.

The threewere arrested during a crackdown operation carried out in the town by the Ntem Valley Divisional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife in collaboration with the gendarmerie. Following a house search carried out by wildlife officials in the Melen-si neighbourhood in Ambam, a baby chimp was found hidden inside the toilet of a house belonging to one of the traffickers while the scales were found behind the main door. A non-governmental organization called LAGA (EAGLE Cameroon) provided technical assistance during the operation.

                According to reliable sources that were involved in the operation, two of the three suspected traffickers were found in the sitting room of the house and the third who arrived on a bike was immediately arrested as he attempted to flee when he saw the presence of gendarme officers in the area. A fourth suspect who was also involved in the deal seemed to have got wind of the arrests and escaped. The three arrested, aged 53, 42, 40 are presently have been remanded in custody while awaiting trial.

                All four had been under investigation for wildlife trafficking and the operation was a result of the investigations.  Speaking after the arrest, the Ntem Valley Divisional Delegate of Forestry and Wildlife, Mbarga Michel said: “Within the framework of good collaboration with the NGO LAGA, we received a denunciation indicating the possession of a chimpanzee by an individual in Ambam and we asked the forces of law and order to accompany us to the effect of checking if the information received was true”

                When the house searched started, reinforcements were needed and more wildlife officials including the Divisional Delegate arrived the scene. He declared shortly after: “during the search, we found that he actually had a chimpanzee in one of the toilets of his house”.  The Gendarmerie Company Commander Captain Obam also joined the search team and they were stunned to find huge quantities of giant pangolin scales that were stocked inside a bag and hidden behind the door of the house. Of the three species of pangolins found in the country; the giant pangolin is the most threatened and rarest. Accumulating huge quantities needs good business acumen.

                One of the traffickers who is of Nigerien nationality, is alleged to have brought the chimpanzee and the scales were put together by the others. The terrified and malnourished chimpanzee was found in a derelict state, recovered and administered first aid treatment before being transported to the Mvogbetsi zoo, although some experts in the field hold that it should have been taken to the Mefou chimp sanctuary that has the appropriate expertise and structures necessary to support such a delicate baby chimp.

                The illegal trade in wildlife baby chimp generally starts with the killing of their mothers whose parts are trafficked to supply the clandestine bushmeat market and to the Divisional Delegate, huge consequences follow.   Mbarga Mbarga said: “The consequences are clear, we already have the disappearance of primates, because when we look at the chimpanzee in our possession it should be 1 year to 1 year 3 months, its capture can only happen after the killing of the parents”. The trafficking of apes is a growing business, like many other illegal wildlife trafficking, in Southeast Asia.