26 Jul 2007 - Virunga National
Park, Congo – One silverback male and three
female mountain gorillas have been killed
this week in the Virunga National Park in
the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The bodies were discovered in the southern
sector of the park by local rangers. All four
mountain gorillas were shot, but it is unclear
who killed them and why. Post mortem examinations
are currently being carried out.
“We are deeply concerned about this incident
which follows more than 20 years of successful
collaboration for mountain gorilla conservation,”
said Mark Rose, Chief Executive of Fauna &
Flora International.
Fauna & Flora International, together
with WWF and the African Wildlife Foundation,
are part of the International Gorilla Conservation
Programme, a partnership that works to ensure
the conservation of mountain gorillas and
their forest habitat in Rwanda, Uganda and
the DRC.
The DRC’s Virunga National Park — bordering
Rwanda’s Volcano National Park to the south
and Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park — is characterized
by largely unspoiled tropical montane forests
that are extremely rich in biological diversity.
Despite its protected status, encroachment
for farming and settlement, as well as by
warring rebel factions, is leading to uncontrolled
exploitation of the natural resource base,
as well as wildlife poaching.
Earlier this year two silverback male gorillas
and a female gorilla were shot dead in the
park.
According to WWF, just over 700 mountain
gorillas survive in the wild; more than 150
of them in Virunga National Park.
“Just two months ago, we celebrated the increase
of the gorilla population in neighbouring
Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park,”
said Dr Kwame Koranteng, Regional Representative
of WWF's Eastern Africa Regional Programme
Office.
“Seven gorillas killed in seven months is
a horrifying statistic and a trend that cannot
continue,” he added.
Congolese wildlife authorities, with support
from the army, are stepping up patrols within
the Virunga National Park to protect the mountain
gorilla population. Guard posts are being
constructed to provide 24-hour surveillance.
Kimunya Mugo, Communications Manager
WWF Eastern Africa Regional Programme Office
