Ugandan Airforce killing Congolese elephants?

This video, recorded in Congo, is called Support to conservation activities in the Garamba National Park.

The air force of Ugandan dictator, Pentagon ally and killer of Somali journalists and other civilians, Museveni, may, like the Kenyan air force, have illegally crossed sovereign states’ borders. In the Kenyan case, to kill civilians in Somalia. In the Ugandan case (if confirmed) to kill elephants in the Democratic Republic Congo. Congo, against which Museveni has an old grudge, as he supported a bloody rebellion of warlords using child soldiers which did not win there.

From Wildlife Extra:

Elephant massacre was conducted from a helicopter – Official

Investigation into Garamba elephant poaching concludes that they were shot from a helicopter

May 2012. Forensic investigations conducted by African Parks park management into the killing of 22 elephants in Garamba National Park in the DRC on March 15th have proved that the elephants were killed from a helicopter.

Initial forensic examination revealed that a number of AK-47 assault rifles were used in the attack.

Although there was evidence of a number of human tracks around the elephant carcasses, no tracks were found between the groups of carcasses, or leading to or away from the poaching scenes, indicating an attack by air. The 22 elephants – 18 adults and four calves – were found in distinct groups in the middle of the park and had been encircled before being shot as the carcasses were found grouped together. Further forensic evidence showed that at least 15 of the 22 elephants were shot with a single shot to the top of the head – evidence of professional marksmen firing from a helicopter.

Troop carrying helicopter

During the weeks after the poaching incident, African Parks management conducted intensive air and ground patrols in the park. During this period a military troop-carrying helicopter was spotted flying at low level within the park on two occasions – on April 6 and April 10. From the photographs, the helicopter has been identified as a Russian manufactured Mi-17 troop-carrying helicopter (Registration Number AF-605).

Ugandan Airforce?

According to an online helicopter database, that machine is, or at least was, registered to the Ugandan Airforce. Garamba NP is around 200 kilometres from the Ugandan border, though is much closer to South Sudan.

DRC’s military authorities have stated that this aircraft was unauthorised to fly within the DRC, however it is not clear to park management whether this helicopter is linked to the poaching incident or not.

[With] one of the largest remaining elephant populations in Central Africa, Garamba has offered a substantial reward for concrete information leading to the identification of the perpetrators of this poaching incident. Garamba’s elephants represent one of the largest remaining Central African elephant populations, and park management is determined to do everything it can to bring the perpetrators to account and ensure that the park’s remaining elephants are protected.

Garamba National Park is situated in the north east corner of the DRC bordering South Sudan. It was one of the first national parks in Africa and was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

Researchers report that war has been a consistent factor in the decades-long decline of Africa’s large mammals. But the researchers also found that wildlife populations rarely collapsed to the point where recovery was impossible, meaning that even protected areas severely affected by conflict are promising candidates for conservation and rehabilitation efforts: here.