South Sudan: Home to World's Largest Land Mammal Migration
2024-07-03
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1South Sudan is home to what some wildlife experts say is the world's largest land animal migration, or seasonal movement of animals.
2But government officials fear illegal hunting threatens the animals and may hurt the development of a sustainable tourism industry.
3An estimated 6 million antelope participated in a migration last year, the country's first major aerial wildlife study says.
4The estimate from the nonprofit African Parks, which did the work along with the government, is far greater than estimates of other large animal movements around the world.
5The recently released study used data collected over a two-week period in two national parks and nearby areas, covering a continuous area of 122,774 square kilometers.
6But the group warned that the animals face a rising threat from illegal hunting.
7The country is filled with weapons but does not have strong law enforcement.
8Mike Fay is a scientist who led the study.
9Fay said, "Saving the last great migration of wildlife on the planet is an incredibly important thing."
10He added, "There's so much evidence that the world's ecosystems are collapsing..."
11The east African nation is still emerging from five years of fighting that started in 2013 and killed nearly 400,000 people.
12Elections scheduled for last year were delayed to this December, but few preparations are in place for those.
13Violence continues in some areas, with some 2 million people displaced and 9 million - 75 percent of the population - depending on humanitarian aid, the United Nations says.
14The migration is already being talked about as a point of national pride by a country trying to move beyond its past.
15Large advertisements of the migration recently went up in the capital city of Juba.
16And the government hopes the animals will bring many visitors to the country.
17South Sudan has six national parks and over ten game reserves covering more than 13 percent of the land.
18The migration stretches from east of the Nile River in Badingilo and Boma parks into neighboring Ethiopia.
19It includes four main antelope, the white-eared kob - of which there are some 5 million - the tiang, the Mongalla gazelle and the bohor reedbuck.
20The study said some numbers of animals have increased since a more limited one in 2010.
21But it described a "catastrophic" decline of most non-migratory species in the last 40 years, such as the hippo, elephant and warthog.
22Associated Press reporters flying over the migration of antelope in early June saw few giraffes and no elephants, lions or cheetahs.
23Trying to protect the animals over such a large area is difficult.
24In recent years, new roads have increased people's access to markets, leading to more illegal hunting.
25Years of flooding have meant crop failures that have left some people with little choice but to hunt for food.
26African Parks estimated some 30,000 animals were being killed each month between March and May this year.
27Villagers near the parks told AP they mostly hunted to feed their families or to exchange the animals for goods.
28The government has not made protecting wildlife a main concern.
29Less than 1 percent of its budget is spent on the wildlife ministry, which said it has few cars to move rangers around to protect animals.
30Those rangers say they have not been paid since October.
31In addition, the rangers say that illegal hunters have more weapons than they do.
32But South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit said the country is committed to turning its wealth of wildlife into sustainable tourism.
33He said he wanted the Ministry of Wildlife to increase training and equip rangers to fight illegal hunting.
34I'm John Russell.
1South Sudan is home to what some wildlife experts say is the world's largest land animal migration, or seasonal movement of animals. But government officials fear illegal hunting threatens the animals and may hurt the development of a sustainable tourism industry. 2Migration 3An estimated 6 million antelope participated in a migration last year, the country's first major aerial wildlife study says. 4The estimate from the nonprofit African Parks, which did the work along with the government, is far greater than estimates of other large animal movements around the world. 5The recently released study used data collected over a two-week period in two national parks and nearby areas, covering a continuous area of 122,774 square kilometers. 6But the group warned that the animals face a rising threat from illegal hunting. The country is filled with weapons but does not have strong law enforcement. 7Mike Fay is a scientist who led the study. 8Fay said, "Saving the last great migration of wildlife on the planet is an incredibly important thing." He added, "There's so much evidence that the world's ecosystems are collapsing..." 9Conflict and problems 10The east African nation is still emerging from five years of fighting that started in 2013 and killed nearly 400,000 people. Elections scheduled for last year were delayed to this December, but few preparations are in place for those. 11Violence continues in some areas, with some 2 million people displaced and 9 million - 75 percent of the population - depending on humanitarian aid, the United Nations says. 12The migration is already being talked about as a point of national pride by a country trying to move beyond its past. Large advertisements of the migration recently went up in the capital city of Juba. And the government hopes the animals will bring many visitors to the country. 13South Sudan has six national parks and over ten game reserves covering more than 13 percent of the land. 14The migration stretches from east of the Nile River in Badingilo and Boma parks into neighboring Ethiopia. It includes four main antelope, the white-eared kob - of which there are some 5 million - the tiang, the Mongalla gazelle and the bohor reedbuck. 15The study said some numbers of animals have increased since a more limited one in 2010. But it described a "catastrophic" decline of most non-migratory species in the last 40 years, such as the hippo, elephant and warthog. 16Associated Press reporters flying over the migration of antelope in early June saw few giraffes and no elephants, lions or cheetahs. 17Trying to protect the animals over such a large area is difficult. 18In recent years, new roads have increased people's access to markets, leading to more illegal hunting. Years of flooding have meant crop failures that have left some people with little choice but to hunt for food. African Parks estimated some 30,000 animals were being killed each month between March and May this year. 19Villagers near the parks told AP they mostly hunted to feed their families or to exchange the animals for goods. 20The government has not made protecting wildlife a main concern. Less than 1 percent of its budget is spent on the wildlife ministry, which said it has few cars to move rangers around to protect animals. Those rangers say they have not been paid since October. In addition, the rangers say that illegal hunters have more weapons than they do. 21But South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit said the country is committed to turning its wealth of wildlife into sustainable tourism. He said he wanted the Ministry of Wildlife to increase training and equip rangers to fight illegal hunting. 22I'm John Russell. 23Sam Mednick reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. 24______________________________________________ 25Words in This Story 26sustainable - adj. involving methods that do not completely use up natural resources 27tourism - n. the activity of traveling to a place for fun or pleasure 28antelope - n. an animal that looks like a deer and runs very fast 29ecosystem - n. everything that exists in an environment or area 30pride - n. a feeling of self-respect or happiness 31catastrophic - adj. of or relating to disaster; describes great damage or a disaster 32species - n. a group of animals or plants that can produce young animals or plants 33access - n. a way of getting at, near, or to something 34ranger - n. a person who protects part of a public forest