Over 500 Animals Killed by Poachers in Moxico Leste

Moxico leste: Poaching in East Moxico has already led to the killing of approximately 500 large and small animals this year, revealed the director of the provincial office of Environment and Solid Waste Management, Bernardo Mussole, on Tuesday. Speaking to ANGOP, the official stressed that deer, African antelopes (bush goats), and wild boars are the animals most commonly killed by poaching, adding that hunters kill the animals for the sale of meat, horns, and for their own consumption. According to Angola Press News Agency, all the animals were seized in a joint operation between inspectors from the institution and defense and security agencies. Mussole reported that in its first year of existence, the province also registered more than a thousand cases of uncontrolled burning that nearly affected some strategic infrastructure, such as the Luau and Cazombo airports, photovoltaic parks, power transmission lines, and agricultural production areas. He said the offenders were not identified or arrested, since t he institution has a large deficit of environmental inspectors and the acts are carried out at night. According to him, the institution has been working with traditional authorities, community leaders, and defense and security agencies to combat or minimize the phenomena that threaten biodiversity in the area. With more than 400,000 inhabitants, Moxico Leste, a territorial extension of approximately 223,023 square kilometers, is part of the group of three new provinces of Angola, formalized in 2025, with the aim of bringing social services closer to the population. The province has nine municipalities, namely Caianda, Cameia, Cazombo, Lago Dilolo, Lóvua do Zambeze, Luacano, Luau, Macondo, and Nana Candundo.