The Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Bill 2024 has advanced to its third reading in the August House, with the Specialized Committee on Wildlife and Tourism tasked with reviewing the bill within the next two weeks.
Wilson Lodiong Sebit, the chairperson of the committee, presented the bill’s report during its second reading on Monday. The committee’s report included several key recommendations aimed at enhancing wildlife conservation in South Sudan.
Among the recommendations was the proposal to reduce the number of wildlife species in game reserves to better align with the area’s carrying capacity. Another suggested action was the selective removal of certain wildlife species to promote ecological balance and effective environmental management.
The committee also highlighted the importance of sustainable wildlife harvesting for various products, while emphasizing the need to combat biopiracy—the unauthorized collection and transportation of wildlife without proper permits.
The bill comes at a significant time, following President Salva Kiir’s announcement on June 25, which recognized South Sudan as home to the world’s largest land mammal migration. An assessment of the wildlife in the Boma-Badingilo-Jonglei Landscape revealed an estimated six million antelope in the region. This annual migration, involving millions of white-eared kob, Mongalla gazelle, tiang, and reedbuck, further underscores the importance of South Sudan’s wildlife and its conservation efforts.