GANTA, Sept. 16 (LINA) – Authorities of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) assigned in Nimba County have alerted citizens about the presence of two Loxodonta Africana, commonly known as African Elephants, in the Nimba Forest in northern Liberia.
The FDA officials disclosed to newsmen that the elephants are believed to have entered the county’s forest from neighboring Guinea.
Two FDA personnel, Mrs. Grace K. Zensi and Mr. Jones Voker, revealed that they were alerted by their forest guards on Saturday, September 5, 2020 who came across the elephants during their regular patrol in the forest.
Mrs. Zensi is an FDA personnel assigned at the East Nimba Natural Reserve, while Mr. Voker is assigned at the Ganta Immigration Checkpoint.
According to them, they also received information from their Guinean counterparts about the disappearance of the two elephants from their Zoo.
“About two to three days ago, our Forest Guards were on patrol when they came across the two elephants, and within the same time we got information from our Guinean counterparts that two of their elephants had crossed over into Liberia,” Mrs. Zensi disclosed.
Nimba County, which is located in the northern part of Liberia, shares common borders with the Republic of Guinea and La Cote d’Ivoire
According to information, the wild animals are currently in the Twah River District after spending a couple of days in the Sanniquellie Mahn region.
In a bid to ease the tension among residents as a result of the elephants’ presence in the county, the FDA local agents are calling on citizens and residents of Nimba County to remain calm as the animals are harmless to humans.
According to them, under the FDA law, animals such as monkeys and elephants need not be killed by anyone because they are protected by law and killing them is a violation that is accompanied by stern punitive actions.
They narrated that their Guinean counterparts did not inform them why the animals left their Forest Reserve, but it is believed that they might have crossed over due to threats against their lives or simply strayed into Liberia.
“Actually, you know while we are protecting our reserved forest, the Guineans are also protecting their own; so animals leave from there and come here and animals also leave from here to Guinea,” she pointed out.
Zensi continued: “but what we are getting to understand is that the animals, especially the elephants, leave from one place to another when their habitat is being threatened by people to seek refuge”.
She said though they were not informed as to why the elephants crossed into Liberia, as partners in progress, they have assured their Guinean counterparts of total protection of the animals.
They revealed that the government of Liberia is exerting all efforts to ensure that the elephants are safe while in the country.
Meanwhile, the FDA representatives are calling on citizens of the county not to be terrified by the presence of the wild animals in the county and avoid hunting or harming them.
According to the FDA officials, this is not the first time for wild animals to be seen in the Nimba Natural Reserve Forest, noting that the latest incident did not take them by surprise considering the relationship between the two neighboring countries.
FDA is the arm of government responsible for the protection and management of the country’s forest and wildlife.
Citizens of the area have been trooping in their numbers to set their eyes on the wildlife, with many saying that it was their first time to see these wild animals.
Most of them described the decision by the Forestry Development Authority to turn the elephants over to their Guinean counterparts as healthy for the cordial bilateral ties between the two neighbors.
