A joint operation conducted on October 20, 2025, in Franceville by Gabonese authorities and the NGO Conservation Justice led to the arrest of three individuals involved in illegal ivory trafficking.
Authorities seized 17 pieces of elephant tusks, a species classified as critically endangered, highlighting the severity of poaching in southeastern Gabon.
Illegal ivory trafficking continues to threaten forest elephants in Gabon.
On October 20, a coordinated operation between the Provincial Directorate of Water and Forests, the Directorate for the Fight Against Poaching (DLCB), the local branch of the Judicial Police (PJ), and Conservation Justice resulted in the arrest of three suspected traffickers in Franceville, Haut-Ogooué province.
Two of the suspects were apprehended in flagrante delicto while attempting to sell 17 pieces of elephant tusks, representing two tusks.
The third individual, identified as the owner of the tusks, voluntarily surrendered to the authorities and was placed in custody.
These arrests, part of efforts to combat the illegal trade in protected species, underscore the persistence of trafficking in the southeastern part of the country.
The suspects were referred to the Special Prosecutor’s Office in Libreville on Monday, October 27, 2025, and face up to ten years in prison and a fine equivalent to five times the value of the seized items, according to Articles 390 and 398 of the Gabonese Penal Code.
Forest elephant poaching, with the species listed as “Critically Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), continues to deplete local populations.
Neighboring Cameroon, a major hub for organized ivory trade in Central Africa, has also experienced a significant decline in forest elephant numbers in recent years.
According to a 2020 IMF study titled “The Shadow Work of Elephants,” these pachyderms play a crucial ecological role: they facilitate forest regeneration and carbon sequestration, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation.
Experts call for increased resources and international support to protect these species and strengthen the Gabonese government’s conservation efforts.
Gabonese authorities reiterate that combating ivory trafficking remains a national priority, and any involvement in this illegal trade will be strictly punished.
Fanta Mabo
