As the rainclouds descend on Sierra Leone’s tropical Kambui forest, a handful of khaki-clad rangers assemble for their daily patrol in the fight to preserve the West African country’s dwindling wilderness.
The team are from the National Protected Area Authority (NPAA) and are tasked with guarding the rainforest from encroaching illegal mining and logging.
But with just 62 wardens to cover some 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres), it’s an arduous game of cat and mouse.
“The devastation is getting worse every day,” said Sheku Jusu, 36, the regional NPAA conservation officer.
“When we are patrolling in the forest, every day we come across new sites that they have just started operating.”
Jusu’s words became a reality no more than 30 minutes into the rangers’ ascent, when a pile of fresh sand on the riverbank indicated that mining had just taken place.
“This is very recent, this was an hour or two ago,” said Bockarie Kowa, 48, the NPAA regional coordinator.
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