Elephants cross the plains of the Boma-Jonglei landscape in South Sudan.[Photo by Paul Elkan and Jeremy Gustafson]

The Economic Cluster led by Vice President Dr. James Wani, approved 0ne billion South Sudanese pounds and 94,000 US dollars to the Ministry of Wildlife, Conservation and Tourism.

According to the national television – SSBC, the budget was approved after a presentation about Wildlife Act, by the Minister of Wildlife Rezik Zechariah Hassan on Wednesday.

The Act provides for the conservation, management and protection of Wildlife, forests and environmental resources, and establishment of National Parks, Game Reserves, Forest Reserves and other protected areas in the country.

South Sudan is home to some of largest National Parks and Reserves in Africa with untouched wildernesses since time in immemorial.

The country currently has 7 national parks and 13 game reserves which were legally created in the old Sudan and some after independence.

These game parks have a rich diversity of wild animals including elephants, cheetah, ostriches, Nile crocodile, and buffaloes among others.

Challenges facing the wildlife

Conservationists say wildlife in the country is being depleted because cattle raiders and troops on the move rely on poaching.

They, on several occasions, say that civilians and the organized forces must protect elephants, gazelles and zebras.

At least seventy-five elephants have been killed in South Sudan between the year 2012 and 2014, according to the government.

Dozens of people have been arrested, or were under investigation in connection with poaching across the country.

In May last year, a number of animals were massacred by armed men in Akobo County of Jonglei State.

Photos that surfaced online show three armed men sitting beside dead wild animals including an Elephant, a giraffe, and a buffalo.

The Ministry of Wildlife and Tourism said it identified poachers who killed the wild animals and that it was investigating the incident in order to bring the alleged poachers to book.

Also in January 2023, forty poachers were arrested and over 5,000 kilograms of bush meat seized from their possession.

The latest incident was the an ambush on a convoy of  vehicle carrying wildlife conservationists near Bandingilo National Park in Central Equatoria State last week.

A wildlife warden was shot dead and three wildlife experts with the African Park Network, were injured in the attack, a day after they arrived in the country.