Humane Society International/Liberia, in collaboration with Liberia’s Forestry Development Authority (FDA), recently convened a two-day wildlife law enforcement training for members of the country’s security sector and judiciary.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Bomi County Inspector Jumah E S Goll challenged the participants to enhance their skills to protect wildlife by implementing the law. He also said that the protection of wildlife is the collective effort of every Liberian, including the security sector and the judiciary–and that knowledge concerning wildlife will go a long way to protecting the animals across the country.

Inspector Jumah Goll emphasised that enforcing the law will ensure the preservation of wildlife in their natural habitat and that serious attention should be given to the laws protecting Liberia’s wild animals.

“It is essential for security personnel and the judiciary to participate in the FDA’s mandate to ensure that Liberia`s biodiversity is preserved,” added HSI/Liberia country director, Morris Darbo.

According to Darbo, Liberia presents a unique biodiversity hotspot in the sub-region that needs to be conserved for future generations. He also appealed to the participants to use the training as an opportunity to learn and to join the FDA in combating wildlife crime in the country.

Technical Manager for the Conservation Department of FDA, Blamah S. Goll said that the wildlife law enforcement training should be taken seriously.

“Our forefathers should be lauded for preserving the biodiversity over the years and now this generation should be able to protect and preserve wildlife for the future,” added Manager Goll.