SOUTH SUDAN / WILDLIFE EXTINCTION

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in South Sudan said illegal wild life poaching and trade is driving species to extinction in the country. UNMISS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:03
• Production Date: 8 June 2016
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME - UNEP
• Subject Topical: ENVIRONMENT; WILDLIFE
• Geographic Subject: SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: 1638285
• Parent Id: 1638285
• Alternate Title: unifeed160608a

Description

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / WILDLIFE EXTINCTION
TRT: 2:03
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 8 JUNE 2016, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, conference hall
2. Med shot, UNEP Country Manager and UNMISS spokesperson sitting
3. Close shot, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ashad Khan, Country Manager, United Nations Envirnonment Program (UNEP):
“They are now confirmed figures that according to some estimate that the population of elephants which used to be 80,000 to 100,000 in 1970s there are only now 500 elephants in South Sudan left.”
5. Med shot, UNEP Country Manager
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ashad Khan, Country Manager, United Nations Envirnonment Program (UNEP):
“Considering the fact that illegal wildlife trade is also happening in South Sudan at an alarming rate, there is a great need to halt and reverse this trend by working together to raise awareness, enact and enforce stronger laws, and step up support to local communities’ efforts to stop illegal trade in wildlife in the country.”
7. Med shot, journalist
8. Wide shot, conference hall
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ashad Khan, Country Manager, United Nations Envirnonment Program (UNEP):
“Deforestation rate in South Sudan is also one of the highest in the world. There is an estimate that the current rate has at which the deforestation is taking place it is between 1.2 to 1.5 prcent per year. So if this trend continues and there is not stopping for this trend there is a fear that in the coming 50 to 60 years there will be no forest left in South Sudan.”
10. Wide shot, conference hall

Storyline

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in South Sudan said illegal wild life poaching and trade is driving species to extinction in the country.

Decades of civil war and the recent conflict in South Sudan has threatened to push some of the country’s wild life to extinction with poaching of elephants on the rise.

At a press conference in Juba today (8 June) UNEP’s country manager Ashad Khan said the population of elephants which used to be 80,000 to 100,000 in the 1970s was now down to 500.

The illegal wildlife trade is driving species to a brink of extinction while posing environmental economic and security risks said Khan. This trend is a clear indication that illegal trade in wildlife has risen to crisis for some species and is a threat to African countries economies, communities and ecosystems and South Sudan is no exception, Khan added.

He also said that South Sudan has one of the highest rates of deforestation and fears that if this trend continues at this rate, “in 50 to 60 years there will be no forest left in South Sudan.”