Renewed Conflict in DRC Puts Mountain Gorillas at Risk

VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK, DRC--Renewed conflict is being reported between rebel forces and the army on the outskirts of the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The conflict has all but blocked efforts to protect the area's highly endangered mountain gorillas, leading the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP) to temporarily suspend its work in the DRC.

Only 720 mountain gorillas remain in the world, about half of which are found in the Virunga Volcanoes, a mountain range that straddles the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.

"The situation is very sad news for the mountain gorillas that dwell in the Virunga Volcanoes and are in grave need of protection," says Eugene Rutagarama, Director of IGCP. "We are monitoring the situation closely and will resume our work as soon as the situation stabilizes. All other IGCP operations in Rwanda and Uganda are continuing without interruption."

AWF has been at the fore of mountain gorilla conservation for more than three decades, today conducting that work through IGCP, a coalition of AWF, Fauna and Flora International, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). IGCP protects these vulnerable great apes by promoting regional collaboration, researching the impacts of humans on wildlife, and working with local communities to find the right economic development to complement conservation efforts.

For a recent press report on the conflict, click here.

To support mountain gorilla conservation through IGCP, click here.