Log Hog

This mysterious man from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is often seen chatting on his cell phone outside one of his “Squish Meister” ice cream shoppes. He is secretly called Log Hog and Forest Stump by others – who all know he could not be so fantastically wealthy from frozen treats alone. Indeed, he leads a vast, illegal logging operation – thanks to his shrewdness and organizational skill.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) lies directly on the Equator, and is part of the Congo Basin – the second-largest Equatorial rainforest in the world after the Amazon. Since Equatorial forests have incredible biodiversity, the DRC is the most biologically diverse nation in Africa. It also plays a vital role in capturing carbon dioxide to ease climate change.

Sadly, the DRC is in a wildlife crisis, because it has the highest deforestation rate in the world – 90% of which is illegal, due to corruption and the difficulty to enforce regulations. Rebel gangs also contribute to deforestation. Populations of endangered forest elephants have fallen 60%, and endangered mountain gorilla populations face rapid habitat loss . . . with no solutions in sight.

Driven by the huge international demand, major exports of wood go to China, the E.U. and the U.S. And in fact, these countries often commit the illegal deforestation themselves!