By Amara Thoronka
The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs has condemned what it called the “killing of a protected leopard in Koinadugu/Falaba Districts.” The Ministry, in a press release dated Friday, 9th August, 2024, expressed that it was profoundly shocked and disappointed over a disturbing video circulating on social media which shows an individual posing with a dead leopard said to have been killed in a trap.
According to the Tourism Ministry, the recent incident marks the second leopard fatality reported in the Koinadugu/Falaba districts.
“As custodians of Sierra Leone’s rich and diverse biodiversity, the Ministry acknowledges the critical role that wildlife plays in our ecosystem and its value as an asset for ecotourism. Our recent efforts to validate the country’s Wildlife Tourism Policy underscore the Government’s unwavering commitment to conservation and wildlife protection,” the Ministry said in the press release.
The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs described the happening as “a heinous act against our exotic wildlife species,” adding that such actions undermine government’s conservation efforts, tarnish Sierra Leone’s global reputation and threaten government’s efforts to promote tourism and endanger our ecotourism prospects.
“Every citizen must recognize that tourism impacts us all. Harming protected species and damaging our national parks not only devastates our wildlife but also jeopardizes our economy and future. If we continue down this path, we risk losing our natural heritage, an invaluable resource that we must safeguard for future generations,” the press release stated.
In a bid to prevent reoccurrence of such incident, the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs people and communities to join forces in the fight against wildlife crime and to promote respect for the environment and its inhabitants, encouraging that, “Together, we can put an end to these tragic killings and safeguard our invaluable natural resources.”
In a related development, the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs warned to refrain from sharing images of animal cruelty occurring in other countries as if they took place in Sierra Leone, confirming that the recently widely shared videos of animal abuse involving a lion and, in another instance, a gorilla, did not happen in Sierra Leone.