I was driving with Ranger Roy on the road that goes north from Goma towards Rumangabo. (see map) We had just passed the Kibati Ranger patrol post when Roy noticed something in the park to the left (ie west) of the road. When we stopped we could hear voices and dogs not far away in the scrub.
We quickly drove back to Kibati to pick up 5 more Rangers as back-up and within 5 minutes we were back in the area. Even though this was the same place where Ranger Janvier was badly injured in a machete attack only two weeks ago, the Rangers did not hesitate and four of them immediately melted into the vegetation towards the sounds while two stood guard on the road with me.
After about 20 minutes the Rangers re-appeared with a poacher in custody and a dead bushbuck antelope he had killed. The Rangers escorted the the man to Rumangabo Station, where they also buried the bushbuck.
Just another day in the office for the Rangers of Virunga National Park…
The poacher is in red lying down - he was armed with a spear
The Rangers took the bushbuck to the animal burial ground at Rumangabo…
..and buried it.
YOU CAN HELP THE RANGERS : JOIN OUR TEAM HERE
5 Responses to “Bushbuck Killed, Poacher Caught”
Great work guys. What happens to the poacher? Here, unfortunately, they’d probably get a slap on the wrist.
A quick question….what would a poacher want with a bushback? Would this have been for food or some type of trade in animal parts? I guess I’m wondering if, with the refugee camps so close by, if these poachers are hunting because they are hungry or if this is about greed. I’m not attempting to justify any kind of hunting in Virunga, for any reason, but I am curious as to the motives in this case with an animal such as a bushback.
Its for food.
for food.
wow its good they caught them be4 i did!!!