Ivory War

In national parks Zakouma, against hunters is a dangerous thing. Officially, the rangers are allowed to defend themselves if poachers shoot.In unofficial shoot-to kill the opponent's force on both sides who first pulled the trigger gun. In the last eight years, six rangers were killed by poachers and approximately six hunters by the rangers.

From an interview with one of the rangers, he has made three other shootings and others had even shot 21 times. But, two hunters who were identified by the rangers can escape using horses with AK 47 and M14 rifles.

No mercy between the two sides, a mixture of tribal settlements of the various local villages, some of them Arabs, mostly Muslims, and Arab nomads who are the main perpetrators in the killing of elephants Zakouma. Souleyman thinking about how to find the hunters, but now his subordinates have a new obsession: ivory. Finding the ivory in the woods cause euphoria in most African people known. The rangers who are dedicated to protect the forests are not much different attitude. Now the other rangers join with us. Compassion for the death of the bull elephant ivory continues with felling. To take the tusks of the elephant's body should be extra careful. Ivory elephant that is embedded in the body easily damaged by a stray swing of a machete, this requires special expertise. Last ivory to be pulled so hard removed from elephant’s body.

Ivory is the reason why men come and engage in a rigorous four-day pursuit to protect the park, but actually the ivory will not belong to them. Ivory will be locked at the headquarters in a warehouse filled with piles of confiscated ivory tusks growing. Ivory taken by hunters are usually taken as Khartoum from Douala to be sold as carvings or jewelry, or shipped to Asia through a network of illicit trade.

Ancient Elephant: Mastodon