Four Gorillas Executed in DR Congo

Four highly endangered mountain gorillas have been shot and killed in the Mikeno sector of Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It is not yet clear who is behind this killing.

It is known that the four gorillas killed were part of the Rugendo Group, one of the gorilla groups habituated for visitation by tourists in DR Congo. Below are the names of the gorilla members that are confirmed killed:

Rugendo: the alpha male (silverback) of the group

Safari: adult female, mother of a baby born in February

Neeza: adult female

Mburanumwe: [Update: Contrary to what has been previously reported, Mburanumwe was not pregnant, according to the necropsy results.]

Two others -- a mother and her four month old baby -- are still missing. This leaves only 6 of the original 12 members of Rugendo Group accounted for.

Bodies of the four gorillas were carried to Rumangabo Park headquarters for burial after a post-mortem. The post-mortem report is being compiled, but preliminary results confirm that all the four gorillas were killed by bullets. Authorities do not know why the gorillas were killed. It appears that no body parts were taken. The killings seem to have been done execution style.

The International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP) is presently engaged in emergency talks with wildlife authorities and conservation groups in Goma to coordinate and support conservation efforts. Efforts are already underway to intensify patrols within the park, to solicit support of the national army to provide security to the ICCN rangers, and to seek political support from the Provincial Governor. These security initiatives will focus on all the habituated gorilla groups in the Mikeno Sector.

The International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP) is a coalition of the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), Fauna and Flora International and World Wide Fund for Nature.

These killings are a devastating blow to the entire population of mountain gorillas, which is estimated to be less than 720 individuals. The deaths of these four gorillas, along with the two gorillas killed earlier in January by rebel insurgents, and one female killed last month, brings the death toll to seven gorillas this year. Theses losses are cause for deep concern.

The Political Situation

Though it remains unclear who is responsible for the deaths of the Rugendo Group, some believe rebel militia operating in the area are responsible.

Last year's historic elections, which saw Joseph Kabila elected president, were supposed to mark the end of years of conflict and mismanagement in DR Congo. But the political climate remains unstable. The BBC cites that some 165,000 people have fled clashes between government forces and rebels since a truce was negotiated last January.

Since January, the rebels have invaded Virunga National Park and threatened to kill gorillas if the rangers do not leave the park. In addition to the gorilla killings, one person was killed and others injured.

Help Stop the Killings

Formed in 1991, the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP) ensures the conservation of mountain gorillas and their afromontane forest habitat. Increased security better equipped park rangers are vital to prevent additional killings. Please make a donation to help support the combined gorilla conservation efforts of IGCP and AWF. You can help make a difference today.

Contact John Butler

African Wildlife Foundation

-4473

jbutler@awf.org