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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