AYV News, August 9, 2024

A fully grown Leopard is reported to have been killed by a hunter in Kulor Saradu chiefdom, Falaba district, making it the second Leopard to be killed by hunters in that part of the country.

A similar occurrence in the Koinadugu district in 2019 and 2022, highlighted a growing concern for the declining Leopard population in Sierra Leone.

In 2023, some unidentified hunters captured and killed a Leopard in somewhere between Falaba and Koinadugu, reports said.

Shortly after the animal had been put down, a video was recorded with the poachers tying up the Leopard’s corpse for almost a minute

This incident is coming amidst call for increased wildlife conversation in Sierra Leone.

“This is a major loss for the tourism industry in the country. It is criminal to kill and slaughter these animals. What happens to the animal conservation laws? These criminals could’ve used tranquilizer to capture the animal. Wake up Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism.” Moses Samuel Wilson commented on the incident.

Daniel Koroma said: “This is bad why the killing of these animals? Other countries are making money out of it and we are gradually losing them.”

There has been no statement from the Government of Sierra Leone on this incident as at press time.