Mozambican police detained three people who were in possession of eight ivory horns when they intended to sell them in the province of Tete in central Mozambique, a source from the National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernik) told Lusa this Friday.
The men were caught red-handed in the Cahora Bassa area of Tete, and the animals belonged to Magoe National Park in the same province, said Selina Roque, Sernic’s spokeswoman in Tete.
“Eight ivory horns weigh approximately 50 kilograms, and each kilogram can be sold for five thousand meticais. [72,4 euros]. Thus, this sale will bring in about 250 thousand metiks. [3.624 euros]”, the spokeswoman added.
Sernik also noted that work is underway in coordination with ANAC to combat “poaching, slaughter of animals and the sale of wildlife resources.”
“We are tightening the siege of Magoe Park and its surroundings, so much so that these [suspeitos] they were detained in the Cahora Bassa area, not in Magoy,” concluded Selina Roque.
Magoe National Park was created in 2013 and covers an area of about 355 thousand hectares, consisting of semi-closed forest with a predominance of dry vegetation and several species of wildlife, including buffalo, elephants and crocodiles.
Poaching in Mozambique poses a serious threat to wildlife, but authorities estimate that elephant killings have fallen in recent years thanks to law enforcement and conservation efforts.
According to ANAC, there are approximately ten thousand elephants in Mozambique.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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