ECO guards

6.23.08 - Djoum - The eco guards work to stop the bushmeat traffic coming out of the Dja Reserve. They set up checkpoints along the roads and monitor the traffic. Unfortunately, they aren't compensated regularily and will sometimes go 10 months without pay because of bureaucratic corruption. As a result they can be susptible to bribes from commercial hunters a fact these eco guards acknowledged in our time with them. They showed us their office in Djoum and some confiscated rifles, furs and ivory. 

Living Earth was working with them to improve their communication with the local Baka communities which in turn would lead to more confiscations because the Baka know who to stop.

Serge is the head of the Eco guards in the South Dja. The Dja is broken up into four quadrants, East, South, West and North. Here is sitting with confiscated shotgun shells and ivory tusks. 
The barrels of some confiscated rifles. The guns were heavy as lead and have probably been around since WWI.
A monkey fur and some wire traps, which are illegal when set in the reserve.
A map of the Dja, left, sits on two elephant skulls the guards found in the forest several years back.