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It is a sad but undeniable fact that Virunga National Park – though still indescribably beautiful and home to a rich variety of flora and fauna - is just a shadow of what it once was. But right now everyone who works at the park seems to share a sense that the worst is over and the path to recovery is, if not clear, then at least clearly visible.

For years Virunga was at the centre of the most bloody and brutal conflict in modern African history and it shows: the park has lost more than half of its large mammals as well as vast swathes of forest. If it were not for the men and women who devoted their lives to the protection of this World Heritage Site, it would have become a desolate wasteland. These people lived, worked and raised families in a society that has been cursed with poverty and scourged by war, and still they gave whatever they had to give to save this place. Many gave their lives: Vilavu, Udongo Okelo, Anagana, Ntamuvulira, Silvestre Mburanumwe, to name but a few.

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In the early hours of this morning our park station at Rwindi was attacked by a group of about 60 Mai Mai rebels.  The rebels were armed with AK47s, but also with spears and machetes.  Fortunately the rangers have been preparing for such an attack and we were also well supported by the army and by MONUSCO, the UN peace keepers, who have a base nearby.  They lit the night sky up with a volley of flares, which greatly enhanced our ability to defend our positions.

But the attack was very violent and one of our staff, a mechanic working for the Africa Conservation Fund, was shot through the leg.  The assailants fled after about one hour, leaving behind 8 dead and 2 wounded.  The wounded were arrested and are being treated at the MONUSCO clinic.  Their wounds are not life threatening, and they provided information that made it possible to arrest one of their leaders in a nearby town.

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Around 30, 000 more people will soon have easy access to primary health care, now that Virunga’s management have ordered work to begin on a health centre in Kabaya in Rutshuru Territory.

On 18 October the building’s cornerstone was laid at a ceremony that was attended by the President of the Provincial Assembly of North Kivu, and Chief Infra Williams.  The Head of Conservation for the Southern Sector Innocent Mburanumwe represented Virunga, as the Director - Emmanuel de Merode - was unavoidably detained by the affairs of the park.

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In general Mountain Gorillas are calm and gentle creatures that live quietly in supportive family groups, but the lives of the males of the species are inevitably and violently disrupted by the rites of passage associated with becoming an adult. Some of the gorillas living in the Mikeno Sector are facing this challenge right now.

Baseka and Kongomani from the Rugendo Family, Bageni and Jeshi from the Kabirizi Family, and Nyakamwe from the Humba Family, were all born around 12 years ago. Some of their lives have been scarred by human violence, but for the most part they have lived happily in the forest, in the company and under the protection of their families.

But not even their families can save these young animals from their biological destiny.

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Some of you might think that Ndeze and Ndekazi are cute. You’re wrong. They’re extremely naughty.  Yesterday, Dr Eddy was with them and took these photos.  The carers were momentarily outside the enclosure, and Ndeze and Ndekazi wanted to join them.

A cunning plan

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This week was marked by the excitement of our aircraft arriving.  It’s a beautiful 1976 four-seater Cessna 182, in amazingly good condition.  Believe me, it has to be the best aircraft in the world.   It was found and souped up by a good friend of my wife’s, Mark Gaede, from Colorado, then flown over the North Atlantic via Greenland and Iceland, down through Europe, across Egypt, down the Red Sea to Djibouti and then to Nairobi by Paul Coyne, a former 747 pilot.  Many of you helped us make this happen by donating for the purchase of the aircraft.  We’re all enormously grateful.

Just after a first landing in Mutsora, with the Ruwenzori Mountains in the background

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Today Kongomani – son of Rugendo and Safari – turns 13 years old, and he is almost a Silverback.

As you know Kongomani is in the Rugendo Family – and is in fact one of the survivors of the July 2007 massacre. It is his sister Ndeze who lives with Ndakasi at the Senkwekwe Centre, and his mother Safari is buried right in front of my office.

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