Mountain Gorilla Poachers Jailed in Rwanda

Three Rwandan poachers convicted of killing two endangered mountain gorillas and stealing a baby one have been fined and sentenced to four years in prison, an official confirmed on Thursday, January 30th, 2003.

The three poachers, who were former employees of the Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda, aimed to sell the baby gorilla abroad after stealing it in on May 9th 2002, and killing two female adults protecting it. This was the first such attack by poachers in almost two decades in Rwanda.

The three were fined up to $8,200. Six others convicted of soliciting a market for the gorilla abroad, were sentenced to two years and fined up to $3,200.

Park staff in Rwanda are working on cross-border strategies to enhance surveillance and protection activities and have deployed armed rangers to protect mountain gorillas roaming the national park, where jungle-covered volcanoes and bamboo thickets provide one of the last havens for the species - thought to number no more than 670 in total.