Conservationists have won a battle but not the war

While the sentencing of Simon Navara marks a significant victory, recent developments raise concerns about the management of conservation areas

Good afternoon. Perhaps the biggest poaching baron in Mozambique, Simon ‘Navara’ Valoi, was last week sentenced to 26 years in prison — a major win for conservation efforts in Mozambique.

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Considerable vested interests will have had to be overcome for his conviction and sentencing to be achieved. Navara, nicknamed after the type of Nissan 4x4 vehicle he liked to drive, must have operated under the informal protection of authorities in Massingir district, whom he likely paid off through the proceeds of his criminal activity. On one dramatic occasion, German journalists were arrested and detained when they tried to investigate his work, and were only freed thanks to the intervention of the German embassy in Maputo.