ASSESSMENT OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES IN KAHUZI-BIEGA NATIONAL PARK FROM 2014 TO 2018
This study evaluates poaching activities in Kahuzi-Biega National Park from 2014 to 2018, highlighting the causes and impacts of illegal activities on biodiversity. It identifies poverty, ignorance, and armed conflict as significant contributors to poaching. Recommendations include enhancing law enforcement and community engagement to promote conservation efforts.
Rwanda Polytechnic
Integrated Polytechnic Regional College-Kitabi (IPRC-Kitabi)
Assessment of Illegal Activities in Kahuzi-Biega National Park from 2014 to 2018
Project presentation
Evaluating Illegal Activities in Kahuzi-Biega National Park: A Comprehensive Study from 2014 to 2018
Robert Ciza Mundere
Supervised by: Prof. Niyonsaba Ingabire Pascaline
2019
Kahuzi-Biega National Park is one of nine national parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and one of five parks on the Heritage List. Indeed, poaching activities in all their forms are the threats that Kahuzi-Biega faced many years ago until today, which prompted us to make a possible evaluation. The case study covered
DECLARATION
Me, CIZA MUNDERE Robert, declare that this research titled «Assessment of illegal activities in Kahuzi-Biega National Park” is my original work and that it has not been presented to a degree or other university degree in a university or higher education institution.
Student : CIZA MUNDERE Robert
Sign: Date:
Supervisor : NIYONSABA INGABIRE Pascaline
Sign: Date:
DEDICATION
To the Lord Almighty God,
To my beloved parents MUNDERE Victor and Elisabeth M’NYARWAHI, venerable craftsmen of our life, their tenderness and education, for all the sacrifices, our whims and sufferings of childhood, from the conception until today when we are useful to the society,
May this work, fruit of your combined efforts, bring you relief and comfort
To our dear brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, cousins, dear friends, dear colleagues, all the acquaintances and to all the men animated by a spirit of progress to which we address the greatest gratitude, here is the coronation of your efforts, your privations and your patience.
To all of us, we dedicate this work.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Almighty Lord has kept us safe from any harmful event that could disrupt the success of this present work, let his name be praised.
On the threshold of this work, we are pleased to be able to thank all those who contributed to its success because without the divine will, the contribution of many people such as our parents, our brothers and sisters, our teachers, our friends and knowledge, we would not be able to produce this work for the professional world.
First of all, our warm thanks go to our late parents MUNDERE Victor and Elisabeth M’NYARWAHI, for accepting the consummation of marriage and giving us life;
We also express our gratitude to the staff of the IPRC / KITABI for the intellectual and moral baggage that he continues to provide us, especially the principal of the institution to the person of Mr. Richard NASASIRA, our strong recognitions to our humble supervisor NIYONSABA INGABIRE Pascaline who, in spite of her multiple responsibilities, accepted to be our guide so that this work could occupy a place of choice in the scientific life;
We would also like to thank the authorities of the international organization « US FISH » for the financial support during our stay; we also thank the Kahuzi-Biega National Park and its staff, all the chiefs and program officers who have not ceased to support us during our internship.
To all of you, we say infinitely thanks.
LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABREVIATIONS
DRC: Democratic Republic of Congo
DWM: Department of Wildlife Management
IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature
KBNP: Kahuzi-Biega National Park
UNESCO: United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations
WCED: World Commission on Environment and Development
CBO: Community Based-Organization
CCC: Committee of Community Conservation
CITES: Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species
ICCN: Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature
WCS : Wildlife Conservation Society
RP : Rwanda Polytechnic
IPRC: Integrated Polytechnic Regional College
UN: United Nations
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Respondents by experienced years working in Park 22
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. The trend of illegal activities in KBNP from 2014 to 2018 11
Table 2. Arrested poachers from 2014 to 2018 12
Table 3. Description of research population 14
Table 4. Sample stratification 16
Table 5. Gender of Respondents 19
Table 6. Age of respondents 20
Table 7. Marital status of the respondents 20
Table 8. Education level attained 21
Table 09. Perceptions of respondents to the causes of illegal activities in KBNP 23
Table 10. Respondent‟s perceptions on the impacts of illegal activities to KBNP 24
Table 11. Respondent‟s proposed solutions to conserve KBNP 26
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION I
DEDICATION II
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS III
ABSTRACT IV
LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABREVIATIONS VI
LIST OF FIGURES VII
LIST OF TABLES VIII
CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1
• Background of the study 1Problem statement 2Objectives 3Specific objectives 3Research questions 3Scope of the study 3Significance of the study 4
• Background of the study 1
• Problem statement 2
• Objectives 3Specific objectives 3
• Specific objectives 3
• Research questions 3
• Scope of the study 3
• Significance of the study 4
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 5
• Introduction 5Definitions of the key concepts 5Assessment 5
• Introduction 5
• Definitions of the key concepts 5Assessment 5
• Assessment 5
is 5
• Poaching 5Protected Area 5Theoretical Perspectives 6Environmental sustainability theory 6Theory of Tragedy of the Commons 7Related studies 8
• Poaching 5Protected Area 5
• Poaching 5
• Protected Area 5
• Theoretical Perspectives 6Environmental sustainability theory 6Theory of Tragedy of the Commons 7
• Environmental sustainability theory 6
• Theory of Tragedy of the Commons 7
• Related studies 8
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 13
• Introduction 13Research Design 13Research population 14Sampling procedure 15Sample stratification procedure 15Research instrument 16Observation 16Questionnaire 16Interview 16Documentation 17Data gathering procedures 17Data analysis and interpretation 17Limitations of the study 17
• Introduction 13
• Research Design 13
• Research population 14
• Sampling procedure 15Sample stratification procedure 15
• Sample stratification procedure 15
• Research instrument 16Observation 16Questionnaire 16Interview 16Documentation 17
• Observation 16
• Questionnaire 16
• Interview 16
• Documentation 17
• Data gathering procedures 17
• Data analysis and interpretation 17
• Limitations of the study 17
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS 19
• Introduction 19Characteristics of respondents 19Gender of respondents 19Age of respondents 19Marital status of the respondents 20Educational Level of respondents 20Respondents by experienced years working in park 21Views on how illegal activities are now in Kahuzi-Biega National Park 22Identification of illegal activities in KBNP 22Analysis of the cause of illegal activities 23
• Introduction 19
• Characteristics of respondents 19Gender of respondents 19Age of respondents 19Marital status of the respondents 20Educational Level of respondents 20Respondents by experienced years working in park 21
• Gender of respondents 19
• Age of respondents 19
• Marital status of the respondents 20
• Educational Level of respondents 20
• Respondents by experienced years working in park 21
• Views on how illegal activities are now in Kahuzi-Biega National Park 22Identification of illegal activities in KBNP 22Analysis of the cause of illegal activities 23
• Identification of illegal activities in KBNP 22
• Analysis of the cause of illegal activities 23
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 28
• Introduction 28Conclusions 28Recommendations 28Recommendations to local populations 29Recommendations to local leaders 29Recommendations the park management 29
• Introduction 28
• Conclusions 28
• Recommendations 28Recommendations to local populations 29Recommendations to local leaders 29Recommendations the park management 29
• Recommendations to local populations 29
• Recommendations to local leaders 29
• Recommendations the park management 29
APPENDICES 32
Appendix 1. Questionnaire 32
Appendix 2. Map of KBNP with sectors 34
Appendix 3. Pictures from the field 34
REFERENCES
Adriana Ford ( 2005): An Evaluation of Wildlife Monitoring and Anti-Poaching Activities, (University of London)Department of Environmental Science and Technology
Aili Pyphala, Ana Osuna Ozozco and Simon Counsell 2012, Protected areas in the Congo Basin: A failure for peoples and biodiversity? RAINFOREST UK
Bradly Anderson, J. J. (2014). Wildlife Poaching: Africa’s surging trafficking threat.
Bradley Anderson and Johan Jooste (2014), Poaching of wildlife: New trafficking, new threat in Africa
Dr Ing KAMGA KAMDEM RAVAP, Kinshasa 2012: Reflections on the problematic of
poaching and working conditions ecoguards in Central Africa, XXI RAPAC Board of Directors March 28, 2012
Henry MMADUABUCHI Ijeomah Daminola Ogbara(University of Port Harcourt),Augustine Ogogo(University of Calabar):, Analysis of Poaching Activities in Kainji Lake National Park of Nigeria, 2012
kramer, J. D., & Chen, J. (2018, May 08). research methodology. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com: research-methodology.htmlLawson, K. and Vines, A. 2014.Global Impacts of the Illegal Wildlife Trade: The
Costs of Crime, Insecurity and Institutional Erosion. Chatham House (Royal Institution of International Affairs), London.
Lin, D. 2014. What is poaching? Online at http://animalrights.about.com/od/ wildlife/g/What-Is-Poaching.htm.
Loibooki, M., Hofer, H., Campbell, K, and East, M. 2002.Bushmeat hunting by communities adjacent to the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania: The importance of livestock ownership and alternative sources of protein and income.
MacKean. (2005). Poaching.
Peter Lindsey, V. N. (2014 ). Underperformance of African Protected Area Networks and the Case for New Conservation Models: Insights from Zambia.
Shadow, S. (2001). Hunting traditional-methods.
https://www.alimentarium.org.
APPENDICES
Appendix 1. Questionnaire
RESEARCH ON POACHING ACTIVITIES IN KBNP
Me, CIZA MUNDERE Robert, Student of IPRC-Kitabi / RWANDA, I am conducting a research study on illegal activities in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the DRC. You have been randomly selected from this community to be a sponsor. The protection of privacy is a key principle of this survey. There is no right or wrong answer, and the most important is that frank and honest answers are the most useful.
Dated………………………………………………………. Function…………………………………………………… Address……………………………………………………. Sex: ……………………………………………………….. Age ………………………………………………………… Marital status……………………………………………….. Level of studies: …………………………………………..
• How many years do you work in Kahuzi-Biega National Park?
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• Where did you work before getting the job at KBNP ?
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• What illegal activities did you experience in PNKB
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• During these years, in which program do you work at PNKB? Are illegal activities reduced or increased? If reduced, how and if increased, how?
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• What can be the causes of illegal activities in the PNKB?
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• What are the impacts on biodiversity caused by poaching activities in KBNP ?
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• What are the impacts of illegal activities on tourism in Kahuzi-Biega National Park?
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• What can you suggest as solutions that can be used to combat poaching in the PNKB
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Note: If the lines are not suitable for your answer to any question, please continue on the back.
Appendix 2. Map of KBNP with sectors
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Appendix 3. Pictures from the field on illegal activities
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