On Thursday, 8 May, the Prince of Wales, William, mourned the terrorist attack that took place in April and killed two forest rangers in the Niassa Special Reserve, in northern Mozambique, highlighting the ‘sacrifices’ made by these professionals.
‘This attack is yet another brutal reminder of the immense sacrifices made by those who protect our natural world. The reality is that being a forest ranger has become one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet. My thoughts are with all those affected and their families,’ William wrote in a message posted on his official social media account and shared by Lusa.
Last year, the Prince of Wales presented a new initiative in South Africa to support 10,000 forest rangers across the African continent over the next five years and ensure their work in defending nature.
Niassa Special Reserve
‘Rangers are essential if we are to meet our global conservation goals for 2030 and avoid the dangerous tipping points that threaten our planet,’ William said at the time, speaking at the opening of the United for Wildlife global summit in Cape Town.
‘These people do much more than protect wildlife. They are educators, community advocates and help regulate the sustainable use of natural resources,’ added the prince.
William is responsible for implementing a project called the Ranger Standards and Welfare Initiative (RWSI), developed in conjunction with the African Ranger Association and the British non-governmental organisation (NGO) Tusk Trust.
‘These people do much more than protect wildlife. They are educators, community advocates and help regulate the sustainable use of natural resources.’
On 29 April, the Mariri sport hunting camp, in one of the hunting grounds of the Niassa Special Reserve, an area covering 42,000 kilometres of land in eight districts that also includes Cabo Delgado, was invaded by armed men, leaving two dead and two missing.
This is the second case of alleged terrorist activity in that area, the first having been reported on 24 April. Local reports indicate that the group, whose number is still unknown, entered a village in the reserve, causing panic among residents.
In this regard, the Niassa Carnivores Project said that its team and part of its logistical resources had already been withdrawn from the camp following the two attacks on the reserve. ‘This episode represents a worrying expansion of the conflict ravaging the north of the country, now reaching one of Mozambique’s most important conservation areas,’ it said.
The Mozambican Association of Safari Operators (AMOS) also expressed concern about the attacks by armed men, calling for ‘calm’ to those who have hunting activities already scheduled.
The Mozambican Police (PRM) said it was investigating the case. Defence Minister Cristovão Chume acknowledged the existence of terrorist groups in the reserve.
The United Kingdom and the US government have warned in recent days of terrorist group movements in the Niassa Special Reserve, advising their citizens to reconsider travel to some regions of the province.
