By Garang Atem Awuol
To: Dear Honorable Minister, Hon. Denay Jock Chagor.
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the state of wildlife conservation in South Sudan, particularly in Jonglei State. On 8th February 2026, during my visit to Twic East County, I witnessed thousands of wild animals crossing near the Jonglei Canal towards Toch.
Disturbingly, I also observed numerous poachers traveling on motorcycles, each carrying up to six animals. Most of the animals being killed were males, which poses a serious threat to the reproductive balance of these species. If this continues unchecked, the productivity of female animals will be severely affected, leading to long-term ecological decline.
Wildlife is one of our nation’s greatest assets. Unfortunately, local citizens continue to hunt animals in areas such as Bidingilo and Boma Park. This undermines the enormous potential of wildlife as a source of income through tourism. Properly managed, our parks could attract thousands of tourists, generating millions of dollars annually.
Such revenue could be used to pay civil servant salaries, support organized forces and the army, and fund critical infrastructure development.
Recommendations: To safeguard our wildlife and unlock its economic potential, I respectfully propose the following measures:
- Establish a joint wildlife security force across Jonglei State, Central Equatoria State, and the Pibor Administrative Area.
- Deploy drones to monitor animal movements and track poachers within the parks.
- Provide water points for wild animals to reduce their movement into residential areas.
- Construct tourist accommodations within the parks to encourage sustainable tourism.
- Build a road to help in the accessibility of wildlife personnel vehicles and tourists’ movement.
With these measures, South Sudan can protect its wildlife, strengthen its economy, and preserve its natural heritage for future generations. I appeal to your Ministry to take urgent and appropriate action to address this crisis.I remain available for further discussion and can be reached at garangatem.scymi@gmail.com
By Garang Atem Awuol, Concerned Citizen, South Sudan