LAGA - The Last Great Ape Organization

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Friday, May 16, 2008

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LAGA -The Last Great Ape Organization

Today LAGA has built legitimacy for a new model of interaction between an NGO and Government. Seven months after its registration LAGA brought about the first wildlife prosecution in Cameroon. In 2006 every week a major illegal wildlife dealer has been arrested, 87% of these are behind bars from the moment of arrest with no bail granted. Prosecutions are satisfying and have reached the maximum jail term of 3 years. Damages awarded have reached $35,000 for a wildlife case. Media efforts were concluding 365 media pieces put on TV, radio and written press- one per day.

The Government of Cameroon is one of the few parties of CITES (the UN Convention on Trade in Endangered Species) to include an NGO on the delegation and went further to nominate LAGA for the Bavin international Award. An award LAGA received by the Secretary General of the convention.

LAGA was commended for its acheivements in wildlife law enforcement and for its impact in the larger context through various recommendation letters.

The LAGA-MINFOF Collaboration

Background

The Last Great Ape organization (LAGA) was born because the survival of Africa’s great apes demands urgent action. Without it, the great apes and many other endangered species will soon become extinct. LAGA was registered in Israel in December 2002 and operates in Cameroon. It is a field-based organization designed to establish the effective enforcement of local wildlife law that is critical to the survival of the threatened animals.

· The Cameroonian Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) made the courageous decision to go ahead with a pilot project in collaboration with LAGA. The collaboration seeks to create a successful model that will provide the missing ingredient in the wildlife conservation formula: creating a deterrent factor.

· The LAGA is the first specialized Law Enforcement NGO in the sub-region. It focuses on threatened species, and mainly on the dealers, the primary generators of the illegal bushmeat business, the ivory trade and the pet trade.

LAGA’s different activities:

· INVESTIGATIONS – Investigators, undercover agents and informers gather precise information so that dealers in meat and the products of threatened species can be arrested in the act, producing concrete evidence for the courts.

· OPERATIONS – LAGA technically assists MINFOF and the forces of law and order to arrest violators and to channel complaint reports to the courts. LAGA closely supervises operations in the field.

· LEGAL ASSISTANCE – LAGA formed a legal team to assist in the administrative procedures of prosecuting the first wildlife cases known in the courts of Cameroon.

· MEDIA – LAGA puts newsflashes into national TV news, national radio news and written press concerning the success of the operations and positive court rulings. The Cameroonian media informs the public that the law is actively enforced, thereby achieving education of the public on the change, increased deterrent, and classification of the illegal trade in endangered wildlife as criminal.

Monthly Action

March Action 2008

Highlights

A Manager of a Logging Company of Greek Nationality is arrested with 2 live chimpanzees, 1 live De Brazza’s monkey and 5 parrots.
A live chimpanzee is rescued from a high personality, The Senior Divisional Officer of Upper Sanaga Division, Centre Province.
2 dealers arrested illegally trading in leopard skins

click here for full report

The LAGA Family is less than a dozen activists. An NGO without a single vehicle. In a world of multi-nationals among the conservation industry giants, LAGA is proud to be small and slim. Follow this link

Action Video

Successful Gorilla meat operation

Successful MINFOF LAGA operation against a retired military man trading in gorilla meat from an industrial refrigerator.Trade in live or part of protected animal species like elephants and apes is illegal according to cameroon wildlife law with a prison term of upto 3 years. click here for more

LAGA ivory operation 12 tusk and Elephant foot stool.

Action footage from LAGA operation against ivory dealers in Cameroon.Arresting the dealers on their way for a deal with 12 tusks a Action footage from LAGA operation against ivory dealers in Cameroon.Arresting the dealers on their way for a deal with 12 tusks and an elephant foot stool.The arrest resulted in prosecution of three dealers and is one of the first prosecution under the wild life law in the history of Cameroon.Trade in live or part of protected animal species like elephants and apes is illegal according to cameroon wildlife law with a prison term of upto 3 years.click here for more

LAGA Ivory operation in Douala Cameroon

Successful LAGA ivory operation on a renowned dealer in Douala trading in illegal ivory.This is the second time dealer is being caught exposing illegal ivory products in the Port of Douala while legal procedures are still against him and with recorded confession corrupting a court official.Trade in live or part of protected animal species like elephants and apes is illegal according to cameroon wildlife law with a prison term of upto 3 years.click here for more

LAGA Lion's operation 3 days before arrest

Illegal dealers in Maroua Cameroon present a lion skin for sale 3 days before their arrest, explaining its origin is Chad and demanding $600 for it and $300 for another .LAGA wildlife law enforcement work is sponsored by the Born Free Foundation.click here for more