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Protecting the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga
Chimpanzees Caught Up in the War
According to the United Nations, Thursday was the “International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.” On his way to the International Summit in Nairobi to find a solution to the current crisis in Eastern Congo, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the following:
“The natural environment enjoys protection under Protocol 1 of the Geneva Conventions. But this protection is often violated during war and armed conflict…The United Nations attaches great importance to ensuring that action on the environment is part of our approach to peace…Let us renew our commitment to preventing the exploitation of the environment in times of conflict and to protecting the environment as a pillar of our work for peace.”
Based on these words I hope that in Nairobi they are also considering the impact of the war on Virunga National Park, which is epitomized by the following picture taken in Goma a few days ago by a photographer working for AFP:
Soldiers here often take baby chimpanzees and monkeys as pets. You may remember that in August we confiscated a chimpanzee from an major in the army. We are trying to see what we can do about the chimpanzee being held at the moment. It was again seen not far from Samantha’s house and we are trying to identify the soldier holding the chimpanzee in the picture below:
It is difficult to put much emphasis on conservation and animal welfare when there is so much human suffering in the Congo. However, if we don’t try to do something about these chimps, no one will.
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17 Responses to “Chimpanzees Caught Up in the War”
Those are disturbing pictures, for sure and I understand your point regarding the human suffering. None of it should be happening - not the human suffering and not the wildlife suffering. Hopefully something can be done about both. Thank you Pierre. Glad to see that you guys made it through the night safely. I can’t even imagine. Please continue to stay safe. Lisa
With you 100% Pierre. Good luck.
Spain recently granted rights to non-human Great Apes: http://www.greatapeproject.org/ I don’t understand why we’re drawing such a line in the sand between human suffering and non-human suffering, particularly that of our fellow Great Apes. Everything that can be done to save that chimpanzee, and any others stolen from their families to be sold into slavery, should be done. No excuses.
s.
I am with Sheryl. Why do we always have to distinguish the suffering of humans from that of animals, particularly animals capable of such human like emotions like a chimpanzee? I am not an animal rights activist per se (I like fishing and i understand some sport hunting) but this kind of cruelty makes my skin crawl and always propels me to imagine a certain kind of hell for those that perpetrate it.
james christian
walking safaris kenya
http://www.karisia.com
I agree with Sheryl 100%!!! Animals, grieve, suffer, and feel pain just like we do, especially chimpanzees and the great apes. One of my dogs was rescued after living in a horrible environment for 8 years. For the first several months, she had nightmares, every night, whimpering in her sleep and her paws moving, as if she was running, trying to get away. I would always wake her up and assure her that nothing would ever hurt her again. Thankfully, after 2 years, she hardly ever has the nightmares anymore. Obviously, if a dog can have nightmares, they are able to think!
I wonder if the chimpanzee in the picture is an orphan and the soldier picked him up to save him, or if he actually took him from his parents. If that is the case, I wonder if he killed his parents, and maybe other adults, in order to take their baby. I pray that was not the case.
Thank you, thank you for working to protect wildlife no matter what the situation.
Still thinking about this horrible situation. Between the military and the rebels you are, as we say in the U.S.A., between a rock and a hard place! I wish our government, or others in the world, could do something to help bring peace to your troubled land. I greatly respect your bravery and kindness for placing yourselves in constant danger to protect our animal brothers and sisters. Please stay safe.
the brit journalist who interviewed Nkunda yesterday says that Virunga is full of fldr bad news for the gorillas
by the way there is another new interview with nkunda at the ‘as it happens ‘ website at canadian broadcasting corporation [CBC}nov 7
Thank you, Pierre, for documenting this situation in the midst of the war. You’re absolutely correct that, in the midst of human conflict and suffering, someone has to take care of the non-humans. I’m seriously concerned, of course - as are we all -, about the gorillas, too.
Pierre, thank you very much for your report. I fully agree with the above comments that the whereabouts of this chimp should be investigated. The poor thing looks sad and confused and I do hope that the soldier hasn’t killed it’s mother.. There are no words to describe the gratitude I feel for all of you brave people doing your job in middle of this awful crisis.
Pierre, I look at that picture and the first thing that crosses my mind is Pierre, how did you not get into trouble for doing that? Hope you can save that little chimp soon…otherwise they will lock him up inside a cage once he grows older.
Sorry I just read it was an AFP photographer.
Hello Virginia! Go back to the blog and click on the blue high-lighted ‘confiscated a chimpanzee from a major in the army’ and you will wonder again…
Your bravery in the face of such a disaster is an inspiration. Thank you and keep safe.
[...] year in the park, at least 10 gorillas were killed — several shot in the head. Soldiers also captured baby chimpanzees and monkeys and took them as [...]
Why do people hurt and take away wildlife?