Africa addio Page #5

helicopter, and even balloon.

Operation Crocodile calls for the

transfer of all the reptiles in the park

away from the mouth of the Rovuma

that is infested with poachers.

The traps are set during low tide

and marked with colored balloons.

It's estimated that in these waters

more than 20,000 crocodiles

have been killed in the last six months.

The operation in progress

saves 82 of them.

They will reach more peaceful waters

after having slept for 300 miles.

Animals injured by poachers are cared for

by the Wildlife Society's blood bank.

Teams of veterinarians and nurses

carry out tests, administer medicine,

check the temperature

of huge injured elephants,

and keep them happy

with several pounds of tranquilizers.

On February 18, 1964,

a Wildlife Society helicopter

surveying an area on the coast of Kenya

and the Tanarive area

found the carcasses of

a full 750 elephants.

The poachers were surprised

by the helicopter

while they were still

cutting out the tusks.

They ran and hid among clumps of grass.

It was the first inspection operation

after more than a year of total anarchy.

The governments of Kenya,

Tanganyika and Uganda

following serious disorder

and the rebellion of the Armed Forces

urgently requested the return

of English troops.

The old laws that had lapsed

came back into force.

The former Anglo-Saxon administration

retook control of the game reserves.

A brief interlude of order was opened up

which, however, would be closed again

after only one month.

But the level of damage

suffered by the fauna is shocking.

In a first round up,

the police capture 410 poachers.

The great massacre

comes to a standstill.

The police discover

hundreds of caches of ivory and furs

hidden in the underbrush

and dry stream beds.

The gangs of poachers

have used grenades

to kill over 300 young elephants

without tusks

just to get the tails

to make bracelets and necklaces

to sell to tourists for a few coins.

Large tents set up by police

house 82 tons of confiscated tusks.

An even more frightening number

if one considers

only one-fifth of slaughtered animals

are usually found

by the game warden patrols.

In a valley in Semliki,

the police find 2800 skins of zebra,

leopard, gazelle, lion and cheetah

that the poachers left to dry

in the sun.

The underbrush is strewn with carcasses

that foul the air

which the alarmed vandals

did not have time to skin.

In the ancient breeding grounds

that are the richest in the world

columns of acrid smoke now rise

and flames crackle at the pyres.

While the police chase the poachers,

other patrols comb the savanna

to aid the injured animals.

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