I copied this from a “Sports Afield” Facebook post.

We’re hearing some very disturbing news out of the West African nation of Burkina Faso. While it’s not nearly as well known as a safari hunting destination as other African countries, this small nation has done an amazing job of restoring and conserving its wildlife populations with the help of a well-run hunting program. The region is home to thriving populations of buffalo, lions, roan, leopard, hippo, crocodile, and korrigum, and the safari hunts here were an important source of employment and protein for many families.

Arly Safaris reported last week that its safari camp in Burkina Faso was attacked and burned to the ground by jihadists. Since then, several other hunting camps were also reportedly attacked and destroyed.

In the words of the outfitter: “This is a huge setback for everyone . . . the people who worked in these camps who depended on this income for their very survival, the poor villagers who depended on their share of the game meat (a third of all the meat by law goes to the surrounding villages) and finally, and most of all, the wild animals which will no doubt be gone forever if this situation continues. In the years that I have been hunting there, all the big elephant bulls have been killed, not by hunters, but by the jihadist-backed poachers who are now killing the females, young ones, anything showing even the smallest bit of ivory.

“The money from the hunting and tips from the clients paid for salaries and the livelihood of over 20 families that worked in the camp as well as the chef de poste and his team of village trackers who accompanied every client on their hunt. How they will manage now is anyone’s guess.

“The east of Burkina has always been quiet but in the last few months it has suddenly seen a number of attacks on mine workers, gendarmerie and government officials, ranging from all out gunfights to IEDs, resulting in many casualties of the poorly trained Burkina Army. From all accounts it seems that the intention of the jihadists is to set up a base in the forested area of the Eastern portion of Burkina Faso from which they will be difficult to dislodge. No doubt they have taken ideas from Boko Haram in Nigeria who played the same game in the Sambisa forests in the north.

“This tragedy is not just a human story but the loss of the last refuge of wildlife left in West Africa: the largest but fast disappearing concentration of elephant, lion, buffalo, roan, and species of antelope unique to West Africa. Yet again this story can only be brought to the attention of the public by the hunting community. There is no wildlife tourism in Burkina, so it is a country totally off the map for any wildlife-loving tourists except hunters. But it is time for everyone to unite, non-hunters as well as hunters, and those that just look on and turn the page or click on the next news link, to stop for a moment, spread the word, share this message, write to powers that be and do something before it is too late. To do nothing would be a crying shame.”

About 8 weeks ago a member on 24 HR Campfire posted his hunt on the east side of Burkina Faso was cancelled by the outfitter due to security concerns. Sad situation.

Terrible news!

This indeed is Terrible news. I hunted out of that camp in early 2016 and it was a amazing hunt. Of my 14 safaris I would consider the Birkina Faso one of the best if not the best hunt I have been on. Game was amazing, I harvested a Roan Savanna buffalo kob and Korrigum. We saw Elephants and crocodiles very day as well as 2 lions and one leopard. The camp was clean and comfortable staff attentive professional and friendly. The local people benefited greatly from employment and the meat provided by the camp. The owner of the operation Mr Arly came by and visited with us . He was an impressive well educated man that spoke 3 languages well including English. He was investing heavy in the camp and had just purchased 7 new Quality rifles with scopes for hunters that preferred not to bring their own guns.

As a bad omen to come perhaps the attack on the Splendid hotel with its high death toll happened on the day before I arrived.

Sad news indeed

I was there about ten days or so after the terrorist attack on the hotel in the capital city (can't spell it). We lost a a day and a half hunting as the National Police stopped our safari because some elephant poachers killed a Game Scout in the adjacent National Park. We were stopped from hunting for our safety as the police were combing the area for the poachers. They did catch four out of the reported five. I don't think that I would have liked to be one of those poachers who were caught.

I was insured by Ripcord Travel Insurance and I was covered for the lost days of hunting. We had a good safari in spite of all that happened.
I was at Mr. Arly's camp and I was able to take a Roan, Savanna Buffalo and a Kob.

This is very sad news as I was kinda of planning another trip there.

Islamist terrorism is a pestilence.

Time to add a new species to the trophy list.

Does anyone know which other hunting camps were attacked?

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
Time to add a new species to the trophy list.

There should be unlimited quota

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
Canadian and Italian tourists feared kidnapped in Burkina Faso

At this time I would advise all to avoid Burkina Faso and neighbors that border its boundaries. Terrorists are destroying camps and claim they will kill all the wildlife they encounter. Reminds me of Kenya some years ago. LDK

What a damn shame. Prayers for all this affected.

Any news if this spilling over to the hunting areas in Benin?

quote:

Originally posted by samir:
Does anyone know which other hunting camps were attacked?

I spoke to Toufic Hanna, with whom Forrest Bruch and I hunted several years ago (in the event that any of you remember our hunt report), and he told me 5 hunting camps have now been burned. So far his has not been attacked, but he does not know how the concession area is doing. Forestry officials have told concession owners and managers to NOT go into their concessions. He would normally have already done preliminary road work, check waterholes and pumps, burn overgrowth etc.

The terrorists do not want any burning to take place, since it reduces their cover. He was fully booked for big game this year, including a couple of American clients, but as of today he considers this season will be a total loss.

I'm glad i got my Roan for $950 when available :-)

quote:

Originally posted by LivingTheDream1:
Any news if this spilling over to the hunting areas in Benin?

Not safe , the same problem in the hunting areas in the north of Banikoara near to the borders of Burkina Faso and Niger.

Thank you, I was afraid that would be the answer given the hunting areas in Benin essentially are connected to the areas in Burkina Faso.

I was booked to go next month. Arjun sent an email to me a couple of months ago advising the situation there whereby I cancelled my hunt. A bit later he emailed of the destruction of the Arly camp.

https://www.reuters.com/articl...ldiers-idUSKCN1PM21X


Burkina Faso jihadist clashes kill 14, including soldiers
3 MIN READ

OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - Gunmen killed four Burkina Faso soldiers and injured five others near the Malian border on Monday, a day after 10 civilians were killed nearby in a separate attack, the army and security officials said.

Jihadist groups, already a major security headache for neighboring Mali and Niger, have rapidly spread into Burkina Faso’s remote north in the past two months, killing soldiers and civilians in a spate of attacks.

The soldiers killed in Monday’s assault belonged to an anti-terrorism unit operating in the Nassoumbou area in northern Burkina Faso, the army said in a statement. The same unit lost 12 soldiers in December 2016 in an attack claimed by Ansarul Islam, an al Qaeda-linked insurgent group.



On Sunday unidentified gunmen targeted a road leading to a market in the village of Sikire, in the same region, killing 10 civilians, two security sources told Reuters.

A local cow herder who witnessed the attack but who declined to be named for fear of reprisals said several gunmen had arrived on motorbikes and started shooting apparently at random.

France’s foreign ministry condemned the attack on Sikire.

“France... is concerned about the increase in attacks against security forces and civilian populations of the country,” it said in a statement.

Once seen as one of West Africa’s safest countries, Burkina Faso was forced to impose a six-month state of emergency in its northern provinces from Dec. 31. Security has worsened in recent months, primarily due to Islamist militant attacks near the landlocked country’s porous border with Mali.

The capital, Ouagadougou, was also hit by several attacks in the past three years targeting Westerners. Thousands of people have fled their home as a result of the attacks and reprisals by Burkina Faso forces, Human Rights Watch reported last year.

Violence in West Africa’s semi-arid Sahel region continues to worsen five years after France intervened in Mali, a former French colony, to drive back Islamist militants who had seized the country’s desert north.

(I ask in this thread again... Sorry for double posting, but some only read here...)

Any news in Burkina?

Did they build uop again?
Is the army in the villages? (to help the native people)?
Are theire still outfitters for the season 2019?
The PHs are back in the camps?
Is there a camp running (again)?
pp. ???