Seven Days on Foot: Wildlife and Hope in the Sobat Corridor
On 8 October 2026, fifteen Community Wildlife Ambassadors (CWAs) left the Agency for Conservation and Development’s headquarters in Chuil for a seven-day expedition into the Sobat Corridor. Carrying equipment and food on their heads, they travelled on foot to set up, change and retrieve twelve camera traps around the streams of Kolkiir, Rualtom, Wang-Nyai, Dichen, Gayuom, Kur and Mat.
Their journey took them through thick vegetation, where overgrown grass obscured the path ahead and made wildlife difficult to see. Yet the camera traps revealed scenes that rewarded their determination: spectacular images of African elephants, roan antelopes, Mongalla gazelles and serval cats. Alongside these animals, the images captured peaceful pools and streams, offering a glimpse of the natural beauty that survives in South Sudan’s wilderness.
The expedition was also a journey of conversation. Along the way, the team met hunters, built relationships and encouraged them to join efforts to protect wildlife. Their appeal was clear: spare elephants and Nubian giraffes, and help safeguard the wildlife that belongs to these communities and future generations. These encounters created opportunities for cooperation and for hunters to become allies in conservation.
Across Nyirol, Ulang and Baliet counties, the message of wildlife protection is circulating. Through the work of CWAs, ACD and Community Peace Advocates (CPAs), communication gaps are being bridged. As peace gradually returns between communities in Jonglei and Upper Nile states, conservation offers another reason to meet, exchange information and rebuild trust.
The mission also brought practical lessons. The team observed signs suggesting that elephants were adjusting their movements and habitat use in response to human activities. Dense grass limited visibility, while irritating grass scraped exposed skin. Food supplies became difficult to sustain: travelling entirely on foot meant that every ration had to be carried, restricting how long the team could remain in the field. Future expeditions will need stronger transport and resupply arrangements.
On 14 October, all fifteen ambassadors returned safely to Chuil. They brought back wildlife images, field observations and new relationships—evidence that protecting the Sobat Corridor depends both on understanding its wildlife and on strengthening trust among the people who share its landscape.
This activity was possible through the support of Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF), an initiative by Save the Elephants and the Wildlife Conservation Network.