The sale of trophies coming from fully protected species, though prohibited by lawcontinues to grow throughout the Gabonese territory despite arrests. In fact, afterthe recent arrest of four panther skins traffickers in Mitzic, it is now in Makokou, the Ogooué- Ivindo province, that last Wednesday another trafficker was caught in the act of selling leopard skin.
Mr. Constant NGANDA BAKA, a Gabonese citizen, arrested by the police in Makokou, admitted he shot the panther last August and was trying to sell it, because it is customary. The transaction, which was to take place in a motel room was prevented by the police in Makokou, assisted by the NGO Conservation Justice.
As noted in the Forestry Code, hunting, taking, possession, transportation and selling of fully protected species is prohibited and violations are punishable by 3 to 6 months in prison with fines ranging from 100,000 to 10 millionfrancs.