Freetown, Sierra Leone – The United States Department of State, through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, has funded a vital three-day legal training in support of wildlife law enforcement in Sierra Leone. The event, hosted from September 25-27, 2024, at Hotel Barmoi in Freetown, was organized by Tacuguma Chimpanzee Sanctuary (TCS) in collaboration with the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA), Legal Atlas, and other key stakeholders.
Fifty participants from various government ministries, environmental bodies, and national parks, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, and the National Protected Area Authority, took part in the workshop. The training focused on several critical topics, including wildlife trafficking, legal tools for conservation, and criminal procedures for prosecuting wildlife crimes.
Key presentations covered issues such as the role of chimpanzees as Sierra Leone’s national animal, biodiversity loss, and the global implications of wildlife trafficking. Attendees were also trained on evidence collection and handling in wildlife crime scenes, species prioritization for conservation, and how to utilize platforms like Legal Atlas to access legal frameworks on wildlife protection.
Mr. James Wingard, Co-Founder and Legal Director of Legal Atlas, commended the U.S. Embassy for its commitment to curbing illegal wildlife trade. He highlighted the unique position of Sierra Leone, the only country in the world where chimpanzees hold national animal status, urging stakeholders to reinforce efforts in combating wildlife crimes.
The representative from the Ministry of Forestry emphasized the need for stronger wildlife protection measures, noting that illegal poaching threatens the local ecosystem and fuels broader criminal activities. Parliamentarian Hon. Mariama Zombo reinforced this point, stressing the importance of understanding and enforcing wildlife laws, while also advocating for new legislation to prosecute offenders.
The event concluded with the distribution of certificates to participants and discussions on how to expand the training to reach wider audiences, ensuring that the knowledge gained can help combat illegal wildlife trafficking across the country.