Angola Field Group

Poaching continues to threaten Angola’s Giant Sable…

An awareness poster. Um poster de sensibilização.

“FAA, the Angolan Military Forces (army and air force) deployed teams patrolling the Luando Reserve, making local villagers aware of the importance to protect the giant sable, sending the message that from now on, the military will be watchful to protect the national symbol.”

“Nevertheless, a few weeks later we received worrying reports that many armed poachers were still active in Luando, and as compelling evidence the shepherds found a freshly killed roan carcass. It was a yearling male and had been shot by poachers near the diamond areas along the Kwanza River.”

Setting the poacher’s camp on fire. Queimando o acampamento dos furtivos.

“In the last site visited the shock was even bigger when we burst into the scene and surprised a poacher calmly drying up meat around the fire on a camp situated less than 200 meters from the water hole… Two absent poachers had gone in pursuit of a giant sable bull that had visited the site during the night… The plan was shooting antelopes for a few days, drying up the meat, and then take the product to Malanje and sell it in the market… Unfortunately and much to our shock and disappointment, we learned later, that our poacher escaped detention within 24 hours of being arrested and delivered…”

The tree pangolin is a special and rare resident. O pangolim arborícola é um raro e especial residente.

Even in Cangandala National Park, where the Giant Sable and other rare creatures like the tree pangolin live, there is evidence of poaching.

Visit our Giant Sable page to read biologist Pedro Vaz Pinto’s Final Report of 2013 with photos from Angola’s Cangandala Park, in English and Portuguese.