Friday 9 November 2012

Wildlife crime whistleblower wins top WWF honour


Champion wildlife crime opponent awarded top WWF honours
October 2012. Ofir Drori, a tireless anti-corruption whistleblower and law enforcement activist working on the frontlines of endangered wildlife protection in West and Central Africa, has been awarded the 2012 WWF Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Medal.
Israeli educator, photojournalist and activist Drori, 36, arrived in Cameroon a decade ago where he founded the Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA), the first wildlife law enforcement non-governmental organization in Africa. Within seven months, LAGA had brought about Cameroon's first wildlife crime prosecution, providing a model that is now being replicated in West and Central Africa. Drori is also founder-director of the Central Africa Wildlife Law Enforcement Network.
"I am delighted to accept the WWF Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Medal - a great honour that will truly support our work to fight wildlife crime in West and Central Africa and beyond," Ofir Drori said. "I hope this award also inspires a shift to a more activist approach and bolsters the fight against corruption in our quest to save wildlife - while there are still magnificent elephants and other animals left to save."
Promoting wildlife law enforcement by combating corruption at all levels, LAGA enabled a shift in Cameroon's judicial system resulting in arrests and prosecution of major wildlife criminals. The LAGA anti-corruption success story has been replicated in West and Central Africa in activities that go beyond nature conservation to the defence of human rights.

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