27
Jan 2009 - Eastern DRC – The number of mountain
gorillas in Virunga National Park has increased
despite the war being waged in and around
the area, according to the first count in
16 months.
The count showed that
the number of gorillas in groups habituated
to humans – considered most at risk in the
conflict – had increased to 81, compared
to a count of 72 in 2007.
Park rangers were kicked
out of the Mikeno sector of Virunga National
Park, where six groups of habituated mountain
gorillas live, in September 2007 by forces
loyal to the ex-rebel leader Laurent Nkunda.
Fifteen months passed
without any rangers being able to monitor
the mountain gorillas but in December 2008
Virunga National Park director, Emmanuel
de Merode successfully negotiated with the
CNDP rebel group to allow park rangers access
the Mikeno sector and resume monitoring
of the area.
A surprising and welcome
discovery
ICCN, the government
institution in charge of protected areas
management in Virunga National Park has
since been fully operational and ICCN rangers
have just completed a census of the habituated
mountain gorillas. To their surprise, they
discovered that the populations of all of
the groups have increased.
“Habituated mountain
gorillas aren’t afraid of humans, which
makes them particularly vulnerable to danger,”
said Marc Languy, of WWF’s Eastern Africa
Regional Programme. “We are relieved to
see that instead of fewer gorillas, which
we had feared, there are actually several
more animals.”
Over 400 poacher snares
removed during park patrol
While on a five day
patrol during which they were looking for
and counting mountain gorillas, two ICCN
patrols removed more than 400 snares placed
by poachers targeting small forest antelopes
that can harm and maim gorillas.
“This clearly indicates
that conservation efforts must continue
to save mountain gorillas which remain threatened,
despite the good news brought by the latest
count,” Languy said.
There is currently a
cease fire between CNDP and the Congolese
Army who have joined up with Rwandan forces
to fight FDLR rebels; however, the rangers
still have conflict and violence to contend
with. On 8 January a ranger was killed during
an attack by Maï Maï militia against
an ICCN Patrol Post and another ranger was
kidnapped.
Higher numbers thanks
to brave park rangers
“This astonishingly
good news about the mountain gorillas is
possible thanks to the courageous efforts
of ICCN rangers who worked tirelessly to
gain access to the gorillas despite on-going
violence,” said Dr. Susan Lieberman, Director
of WWF International’s Species Programme.
“WWF will continue to provide ICCN with
the support it needs to keep a vigilant
eye on mountain gorillas as conflict and
poaching are still imminent threats.”
ICCN has been able to
keep its operations running during the conflict
with financial and technical support from
International Gorilla Conservation Programme
(IGCP), a joint initiative of AWF (African
Wildlife Foundation), FFI (Flora and Fauna
International), and WWF and other conservation
partners on the ground.
+ More
Illegal salmon pays
the bills in Kamchatka
29 Jan 2009 - Moscow,
Russia - Villagers in the Kamchatka peninsula
are reliant on poaching salmon as almost
their sole source of income, according to
a new report launched today by WWF-Russia
and TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring
network.
The report assesses
the level of poaching in Kamchatka (so-called
illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU)
catch) of five species of salmon - pink,
chum, sockeye, Coho and Chinook - and analyses
the importation of these species by countries
in the region.
“Salmon is an integral
part of Kamchatka’s economy, but stocks
are threatened by unsustainable illegal
off-take,” says Natalia Dronova, WWF-TRAFFIC
co-ordinator and an author of the report.
She adds: “The future
security of this vital economic resource
depends on how we treat it today.” Salmon
are mainly poached for their roe (eggs),
which are sold as a cheaper alternative
to caviar.
According to the report,
poaching of salmon on the spawning grounds
has increased significantly, driven by a
combination of factors including easier
access because of better roads, Russia’s
economic situation, and an easing of the
country’s salmon trade regulations. For
example, in 2003-2006 the actual catch of
chum salmon was an average 1.5 times more
than officially reported.
“Combating the poachers
is complicated by technical difficulties,
corruption, and because the illegal salmon
catch is almost the sole source of income
for villagers in Kamchatka,” says Dronova.
Currently on rivers
where legal fisheries exist, poaching provides
income to about 30% of households. However,
on rivers not used by legal fishing entities,
up to 90% or even 100% of families live
through poaching.
The report says that
improving the options for legal processing
of fish, plus providing other forms of employment,
for example through increased tourism to
the region, would reduce the levels of illegally
fished salmon. Improved local and federal
law enforcement would also help in preserving
salmon and salmon-based livelihoods for
the people of Kamchatka.
The report was funded
by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
and commissioned as part of the “Conservation
of Kamchatka salmon and its habitats” project.
