Dec. 16, 2003 — Farmers in southeastern Sierra Leone are imploring the local government to give them back their firearms so they can beat back advancing hordes of wildlife that are destroying their crops.

Single-barreled rifles, once a staple tool in the shed for most farmers in this West African state, have been banned for security reasons since the end of a decade-long civil war in 2001.

"If we had our guns, the animals would not have dared to challenge us," claimed farmer Augustine Allieu.

Bush cows, wild pigs and baboons are running wild through the districts of Pujehun, Kenema and Kailahun, trampling the meager crops the farmers depend on both for subsistence and for sale.

"Crops such as cocoa, coffee, rice, kola nuts and cassava are being ravaged," farmer Justin Lamin told AFP Monday. "We see our hopes to reap money from our crops go up in smoke. The beasts are getting more daring."

Minister Sahr Fillie Faboe, while sympathetic to the farmers' concerns, said it was unlikely the rifles would be returned.

"The country has just come out of war," he said, "and to return guns through improper channels could undermine national security."

More than 200,000 people were killed in the 10-year rebel war that ravaged Sierra Leone, which is among the world's poorest countries.

More Information
Name: Guinea Baboon (Papio papio)
Primary Classification: Cercopithecidae (Old World Monkeys and Baboons)
Location: West Africa.
Habitat: Evergreen forest and woodland savannah.
Diet: Fruits, leaves, flowers, lichens, seeds, tubers, grass, invertebrates and small vertebrates.
Size: Up to33 inches in length and 88 lbs in weight.
Description: Reddish-brown in color; short mane; dog-like head; sharp teeth; bald, reddish hindquarters.
Cool Facts: It is the smallest of the baboons. Groups will sometimes mob and severely injure predators, such as leopards.
Conservation Status: Lower Risk (Neart Threatened)
Major Threat(s): Habitat loss.
What Can I Do?: Visit the African Wildlife Foundation for information on how you can help.