Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Niassa Special Reserve (REN) has had no record of elephants being slaughtered by poachers for four consecutive years, as a result of coordination in the fight against environmental crimes between biodiversity inspection and protection units, justice administration bodies and local communities.
The news was shared by Minister of Land and Environment, Ivete Maibaze, on Sunday, in the district of Magude, province of Maputo, at the inauguration, in the context of World Ranger Day on July 31, of the Regional Joint Operations and Inspection Centre.
“We have the opportunity to highlight that, for the fourth consecutive year, particularly in the Niassa Special Reserve, we did not record any elephant slaughter, which was one of the biggest problems we faced,” she said.
Maibaze highlighted the importance of coordination with the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) and the Supreme Court, which resulted in the training of 73 prosecutors and 20 judges in wildlife crimes.
“In places where our technical capacity in terms of inspection cannot meet the demand for the sophistication of the offender, we deploy the strength of the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR),” she added.
The minister congratulated all the rangers on their work, as well as other stakeholders who had contributed to the positive results achieved in the protection of biodiversity and the search for ways to improve the living conditions of communities residing in and around conservation areas.
On the occasion, Ivete Maibaze revealed the names of four rangers who died in 2021, namely Joaquim Jamissone, Alberto Luís Najobe and Raul Arde, who were murdered by insurgents on December 22 at the Malunda and Aldeia de Naunala posts, in the Niassa Special Reserve, and Chabane Massudi, who lost his life by drowning.
The four are among the 150 inspectors who died world-wide last year, according to statistics from the International Federation of Inspectors.
“To the families who lost their loved ones in the exercise of their functions protecting our natural heritage, we address our words of comfort. Know that the bravery shown by them will be eternally honoured by us, and their deeds and contributions will never be forgotten,” Maibaze said.
World Ranger Day was established in 2007 by the International Ranger Federation. In Mozambique, the date (July 31) was celebrated under the motto “Promoting the active participation of women in biodiversity monitoring”.
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