Wildlife in Arakan Yoma sanctuary faces rising threat from poachers in face of dwindling conservation resources

By DMG 23 Dec 2021

DMG Newsroom
23 December 2021, Gwa 

Conservationists are calling for more resources committed to ranger patrols to protect elephants and other wildlife in the Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range in Gwa Township, Arakan State’s only wild elephant sanctuary. 

Due to Myanmar’s spiraling political crisis, international aid is no longer available as before, and some rangers have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), said Dr. Maung Maung Kyi, chairman of the Rakhine Coastal Region Conservation Association (RCA). This combination of factors has resulted in more wildlife being poached in the Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range, he explained. 

Elephants, gaurs, tigers, bears, monkeys and other wildlife have been captured and killed in the Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range, which was established in 2002 to serve as a sanctuary for these animals. 

“Tigers are now almost extinct in the forest due to hunters. Wildlife such as elephants, gaurs, tigers, bears, and monkeys have been captured. Now the wildlife is in danger of extinction,” Dr. Maung Maung Kyi added. 

The RCA has been working to reduce wildlife poaching in the area since 2019, and officials at the Arakan Yoma Elephant Range are cracking down on poachers, said U Hsan Lwin Oo, an administrator of the sanctuary. 

“People enter into the sanctuary to collect bamboo shoots. The pasturelands for wild elephants are also declining. In some cases, elephants have been captured and taken to other places from the jungle due to lack of pasture,” he added. 

Poachers of rare wildlife can face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to K500,000, or both. 

The Arakan Yoma Elephant Range is located at the southern tip of the Arakan Yoma Mountains in Thandwe and Gwa townships, and covers an area of about 1,756 square kilometres. It is home to more than 100 wild elephants. 

At present, there are only 12 rangers assigned to the sanctuary, meaning each ranger is responsible for protecting nearly 40,000 acres from poachers. 

The Arakan Yoma Elephant Range official U Hsan Lwin Oo said that there was a lack of interest despite efforts to educate locals about wildlife conservation.