Juba hyena set for relocation to Bandingilo after days in city custody

The Director General of Wildlife at the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism says a hyena recently spotted roaming in Juba will be relocated Saturday to Bandingilo National Park following a delay caused by technical challenges. Speaking to Eye Radio on Saturday morning, the Director General, Khamis Adiang , said the operation had initially been scheduled for Thursday but was postponed. “Due to technical reasons, we were unable to remove it yesterday. However, the team is now on its way to collect the animal. They contacted me and confirmed that they have already departed,” Gen. Adiang said. He explained that the wildlife team has already reached an agreement with the person who had been keeping the animal and is currently en route to retrieve it. According to him, the hyena will first be taken to an enclosure near Mangala before being moved to a controlled area close to a military camp, away from residential settlements. “The animal will be transported to the Bandingilo enclosure near Mangala. It will then be relocated to an area close to a military camp that is situated away from any urban settlement. The camp consists of military tents, and the animal will remain there for a period of time to allow it to readjust to its natural environment,” he said. Gen. Adiang added that the animal will not be released immediately into the wild. “It will not be released directly into the wild. Instead, it will stay in the area for some time to acclimatize. During this period, other hyenas from the surrounding area are expected to interact with it. Once it has fully adapted, it will gradually rejoin the wild alongside its counterparts,” he added. He further said the relocation process will be documented and shared with the public through photographs. Meanwhile, the wildlife official confirmed that the identity of the individual who had been keeping the hyena will not be disclosed, though he said the person cooperated with authorities. “He is a well-known individual, but for professional reasons we chose not to disclose his name. He cooperated with us respectfully and agreed to hand over the hyena so that it could be transferred to a designated enclosure,” Gen. Adiang said. He also urged members of the public to comply with wildlife regulations and obtain proper permits when keeping animals, especially predators. “This is important both to ensure compliance with the law and to prevent animals from posing a risk to people living around them,” he added. Authorities say a public awareness campaign will also be launched to educate residents on the legal requirements for keeping wildlife in residential areas. The hyena drew widespread attention after videos circulated on social media showing it roaming parts of Juba, sparking concern among residents. The post Juba hyena set for relocation to Bandingilo after days in city custody appeared first on Eye Radio .