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Protecting the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga
Congo Wildlife Authorities Arrest Key Members of Baby Mountain Gorilla Traffickers
Congo Wildlife Authorities arrested two men believed to be key members of a baby mountain gorilla trafficking group following an undercover investigation by Virunga National Park rangers and other Congolese government security services. The two men, arrested in Goma yesterday, have been charged with illegal trafficking an endangered species.
The operation followed the recovery of a baby mountain gorilla on August 7th by the Rwandan Police. The gorilla was seized in the Rwandan border town of Gisenyi, from traffickers believed to be coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Congo Wildlife Authorities have been working closely with Rwandan authorities to dismantle the baby gorilla trafficking ring that passes through eastern Congo for sale in Rwanda. Baby Gorilla trafficking is considered to be one of the greatest threats to the survival of the critically endangered mountain gorillas, of which only 790 remain in the world.
From Rumangabo in Virunga National Park, the Park Director Emmanuel de Merode said, “The arrests are the outcome of a coordinated effort by Rwandan and Congolese law enforcement authorities. While we are pleased to have brought this group of traffickers to justice, we remain very worried by what appears to be a significant and growing demand for baby mountain gorillas.”
The effort to protect the mountain gorilla populations in Congo, Rwanda and Uganda represent one of the greatest conservation successes in recent times, with a population that has more than doubled in the past 25 years. However, the threats remain high, both for the gorillas and for those who protect them. Over 130 Congolese rangers have died protecting Virunga National Park over that same period.
Caretaker Fabien Bahati plays with rescued infant mountain gorilla, Ihirwe, at Kinigi Rwanda. Photo by MGVP
The recently rescued one-year-old female gorilla appears to be in good health, according to veterinarians from Mountain Gorilla Veterinarian Project (MGVP), partners of Virunga National Park. The infant will complete a 30-day quarantine at an orphan-care facility in Kinigi Rwanda before moving to Virunga’s Senkwekwe Center to join the four orphan mountain gorillas Maisha, Kaboko, Ndeze and Ndakasi. Senkwekwe is home to the only orphan mountain gorillas in the world.
Infant mountain gorilla, Ihirwe, was rescued from poachers on August 7 as they tried to smuggle the gorilla over the border from DRC to Rwanda. Photo by MGVP
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News from Congo- Bidding nears for $9-14 bln Congo hydropower plant - Reuters
- Journalist found dead in eastern Congo - Fox News
- DR Congo mine collapse 'kills at least 20' - BBC News
- Business in the Democratic Republic of Congo Murky minerals - The Economist
- Congo: Many Dead After Attack - New York Times
- Congo Does Not Have The World's Largest Deposits Of Tin and Coltan - Forbes
- Conditions of Congo captures Clarke - Otago Daily Times
- South African Army Prepares for Congo - ABC News
- 40 confirmed dead in DR Congo clashesPublish Date: May 17, 2013 - New Vision
- Indian Police unit in Congo gets UN medal - NDTV
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6 Responses to “Congo Wildlife Authorities Arrest Key Members of Baby Mountain Gorilla Traffickers”
Congratulations and thank you for a wonderful job! This is a victory for mountain gorillas and sends a strong message to poachers that taking our beloved gorillas will not be tolerated! I pray these men spend a long time in jail to think about the destruction they caused.
Dear Theresa, thank you for the encouragement. It is very much Innocent’s achievement, with his team in Rumangabo. He has done an incredible job at working with the other security services. It is also a result of the rising morale despite the difficulties and the deaths this year. In that respect, I really would like to thank all of you who have supported the widows. We have managed to secure help for 23 of the widows who’s husbands died protecting the park, which is a tremendous step forward. Thanks also to those who continue to help in every other way. It’s what makes it possible for our rangers to keep going. Thank you.
I am very happy to hear that the gorilla orphan was saved and these men were arrested without bloodshed! My congratulations to the brave park rangers. I wonder, but do not wish to think about what the poachers may have done to the baby’s parents. If the baby could eventually be reunited with its original family group woud be wonderful. Keep up the good work, MGVP.
Dear Emmanuel, As the poachers demand of gorillas grows it is as well as we have to fully collaborate in Greater Virunga region and as GVTC remains standby to react and strategize every ones’ efforts we hope to achieve a lot.Yes We can!!!
[...] Two arrests were made in connection with the poached baby gorilla. This was quite extensively reported because it’s an important breakthrough in trying to deal with the damage that has been done by the baby gorilla traffickers. The two suspects were brought in for questioning at Rumangabo, and subsequently transferred to the courts in Goma. Our legal counsel, Maitre Mathieu, will be following the case carefully to make sure that due process is followed through. [...]
[...] reported a few weeks ago about the arrest of two key figures in the baby gorilla poaching ring. This week, we sent a team into the town of Masisi and were able [...]