Carnage on the shores of Lake Edward, DRC.
January 2007. Approximately 25 hippos and 3 elephants have been killed at Vitshumbi in the last few days. This is an area where it had been estimated around 30 hippos to exist following the last aerial census of the park. The prognosis does not look good and by now it may well be too late to save the last few individuals.
Recent news stories about the current carnage in Central Africa.
- Another Mountain gorilla shot dead by rebels.
- Baby mountain gorilla born. February 2007.
- DRC rebels agree to protect Mountain gorillas. January 2007.
- More carnage in the DRC at Lake Edward. January 2007.
- 17 arrested for hippo poaching. January 2007.
- Silverback gorillas shot for meat. January 2007
- Dozens of hippos killed by Mai Mai militia. December 2006.
- Mai Mai militia kill hundreds of hippos and elephants. October 2006.
The problem is that the Mai Mai, many of whom have already gone through the demobilization processed but failed to reintegrate properly and have chosen once again to take up arms, have now teamed up with certain elements of the FDLR (Rwandan rebels better known as Interehamwe) and are illegally occupying this critical area of the park.
How to help, it doesn't cost much.
- £10 covers the cost of the food for a ranger patrol for a day.
- £25 covers the cost of a uniform for a ranger.
- £20 covers the cost of a pair of boots for a ranger.
- £25 covers the cost of a salary bonuses for rangers for 1 month. Necessary as regular salaries havent been paid for several years.
- If you would like to help the rangers and the wildlife of the Virunga National Park, please click here.
ICCN (Institut Congolais pour la Conservacion de la Nature ) rangers are being prevented to carry out their legal mandate to patrol in the area and protect the wildlife due to the presence of these armed groups, and in the absence of respect for a recognized government authority, the result is near anarchy. The whole area desperately need the UN Peacekeepers to help bring the situation back under proper control.
