Environmental Group Warns of Danger to Sapo National Park |
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| The Washington based Conservation
International (CI) has warned of impending danger's to Liberia's Sapo National
Park. The park, which is one of the few places left in the world believed
to have a viable population of pygmy hippos, is considered a "global treasure"
by many.
CI's Regional Director for West Africa, Dirick Byler, said Liberia's flora and fauna are under severe threat from large-scale timber operation and the growing trade in bush meat. Roads to facilitate the forestry and mining industry are among the additional worries.
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On January 17th, CI signed a memorandum
of understanding with the Liberian government. CI will manage the Sapo National
Park and other environmentally important areas in Liberia. Under the terms
of the agreement, CI has agreed to work with the Liberian government in various
conservation activities and the Liberian government has agreed to establish
a biological representative network of protected areas covering at least
30% of the existing forest area.
In addition to the pygmy hippo, the western red colobus monkey, zebra duiker, and Jentink's duiker are expected to go extinct in the next twenty years if current trends in Liberia continue. Of the 2,000 plants found in Liberia, 59 are known to exist only in that country.
Source: Sheriff Z. Adams of The News
via AllAfrica.com (online) - August 5, 2002. |
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