Oil surveyors will use this road under construction in Southern Sudan's Jonglei region.

The autonomous region is believed to sit atop massive reserves of oil. Some international groups fear that oil companies have been allowed to work virtually unregulated in the country, and that their presence will affect the ecosystem.

The recent discovery of abundant wildlife in Southern Sudanpreviously thought to have disappeared during the violent civil warwill also be a crucial test for the southern Sudan government and its commitment to protect wildlife, experts say.

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