Disappearing wildlife

Lambarené, just past the Equator, is the second biggest city of Gabon. This town has been a stronghold of the forestry industry since the beginning of the 20th century, as logs could easily be transported to Libreville via the Ogooué River. Forestry is the main economic sector in the region and traffic on the roads is mainly of lorries filled with timber heading to the processing factories or to the port of Libreville. But once a road is open for commodities, the lucrative – and illegal – trade of wildlife species also prospers, leaving behind empty forests and few resources for local populations.

A logging worker demonstrating an identification number on the trunk of an African Teak (Cylicodiscus gabonensis) in the Samatex consession area.

A logging worker demonstrating an identification number on the trunk of an African Teak (Cylicodiscus gabonensis) in the Samatex consession area.

A food market on the riverbank reveals the custom of eating fish, as well as crocodile, antelope and other bushmeat. A pangolin is for sale in plastic bags, hidden, as the species is now protected along with gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, hippos, manatees and turtles. Many of these animals are at risk of extinction.

With increasing demand and depleting forests, other, more remote areas have to be found for exploitation and new roads built to reach them. This is now happening in Minkebe, in the north of the country. Minkebe is part of the Tridom landscape which spreads on three countries (Gabon, Cameroon and the Republic of Congo) and represents 10% of the Congo Basin forest. One fifth of the Tridom landscape is protected. Still largely untouched, this territory is the home of the Pygmies, as well as of elephants, gorillas and chimpanzees.

The situation in Tridom is becoming more complex with ongoing investment in timber concessions, iron ore exploitation and new infrastructures (roads). In Tridom there are at least 6 world class iron ore deposits currently being explored by companies mostly from Australia, China and the UK. To export iron ore, a new deep-sea port will be built in Cameroon and a rail road will connect it with the mines in the depth of Tridom. Thus, some of the last unknown territories are being opened, facilitating access for bushmeat and ivory hunters.

"A business-as-usual scenario for mining development in Tridom will lead to the demise of the area," says Pauwel de Wachter, Regional Coordinator of Tridom at WWF. "Therefore we need to do something exceptional: planning for conservation with all the mining companies and trying together to minimise the impacts on the wider landscape. One of the worst effects of mining might be the development of new towns in previously uninhabited areas."

Ten years ago in Tridom there were at least 50,000 elephants, and up to 30,000 of them were in the Minkebe forest. Today the number has at least halved. In 1994-1996, gorillas and chimpanzees in Minkebe were decimated by an outbreak of Ebola which killed 90% of the populations. Today, it's elephants facing the major threat of poaching.

Elephants of Central Africa are being annihilated by surging demand of ivory in Asia (especially in China), where carved ivory products have become the status symbol of the new rich. Local ivory prices have increased of 500 to 1000% over the last ten years and their continue increase provides strong incentives to poachers and traffickers.

Although ivory import is illegal in China, criminal groups manage to satisfy the market and in the absence of better and more sustainable alternatives, Pygmies have become part of this business. Their forest culture makes them good at tracking, approaching and hunting elephants, which they sell to Bantu ethnic groups who pass them via traders on to the upper link of the chain, until ivory reaches Asia. A report by the UN body that regulates the international wildlife trade found that 2011 was the worst year on record for elephant poaching in Africa.

In a bold move against illegal wildlife trade, in June Gabon has burnt its government-held ivory stockpile. The overall quantity (4,825 kilograms) corresponds to roughly 850 dead elephants. This is an important sign that tolerance for poachers and illegal operations is diminishing, but a war against such intense poaching and in such vast areas is difficult to win.

"Even in rich countries it would be hard to confront such a poaching wave. This should not be left to African countries alone, demand countries such as China should help African nations protect their wildlife," adds Pauwel.

What FOCAC can do

Depleted forests, abandoned villages, illegal trafficking and disappearing species are the clear evidence that new solutions have to be found for combining economic development and environmental sustainability, or no one will really benefit in the long term.

China's increasing engagement with African countries will culminate on 19-20 July with the FOCAC Ministerial Conference. One of the outcomes will be an action plan with projects supported by China in Africa. This is an important opportunity to address the environmental, social and business sustainability of activities dependent on Africa's natural resources, as well as to steer away from illegal practices.

WWF recommends in particular that China and Africa agree on a zero-tolerance policy on the illegal trade of timber and wildlife products. China could support pilot projects on sustainable forest management, grant preferential treatment to commodities with rigorous sustainability certification and overall contribute to the development of green economies in Africa.

Seen from the plane, Gabon looks like an immense forest blanket pulsing with life. This is a core element of the economy of the present and for future generations.

"The forest is like an old vinyl record. If you scratch it, you can still listen to the music but you will also hear that noise... With good management, the scratches on the forest won't be too loud," says Pauwel de Wachter. "The same principles should apply to all natural resources that feed our lives."

(Claudia Delpero, Advocacy and Communications Director, WWF China for a Global Shift Initiative)