Interpol to Probe Gorilla Poaching

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and its counterparts in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, have petitioned Interpol to investigate and arrest suspects engaged in poaching of the highly endangered mountain gorillas.

In the last 6 months, there have been at least four poaching attacks on groups of mountain gorillas in the two forests that harbor the last remaining members of this endangered subspecies (Gorilla beringei beringei).

During these attacks, six adult gorillas have been killed as poachers tried to capture their babies for sale abroad. One infant gorilla captured in the May incident from the Parc National des Volcans, Rwanda has disappeared without trace; the second infant was found huddled next to its dead mother the next morning and reintroduced. A third infant was rescued from poachers on October 4 in Rwanda and is currently being reintroduced after being in medical quarantine, and there is a possible fourth infant missing.

This is a total of 10 mountain gorillas in the Virunga volcanoes, killed, missing, or confiscated for reintroduction this year. And while this number seems small, it is significant as it represents nearly 3% of the Virunga population of mountain gorillas.

While Park staff work on immediate local and cross-border strategies to enhance surveillance and protection activities, the International Gorilla Conservation Program, a coalition of AWF, FFI and WWF, has been asked to help on regional as well as international aspects, including international links for law enforcement investigations. IGCP organized a meeting on Friday, December 13th in Kisoro, Uganda, to discuss the upsurge in gorilla poaching with local, regional and international law enforcement bodies. Interpol was represented as was the Lusaka Agreement Task Force, joined by conservation and law enforcement professional from the three countries.

So far, twelve suspects have been arrested and are at various stages of prosecution in connection with the May and September incidents.