 A Mountain Gorilla in Congo
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Oct. 27, 2003 — In the eco-rich forests and savannas of western Congo poachers slaughter endangered wildlife with continued impunity from local authorities.
"The situation in the Conkouati Park is unlawful," said Paul Elkan of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Democratic Republic of Congo.
"Poachers massacre elephants, gorillas and marine turtles which they sell at Pointe-Noire, where groups supported by political and administrative authorities are located," Elkan said last week during a meeting with Congo's environment and forestry minister, Henri Djombo, and minister of the state, Isidore Mvouba.
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The U.S.-based wildlife group had been managing Conkouati National Park, Congo's most ecologically-diverse protected land space, since 2000 until this August when it withdrew from the park after several attacks organized by the poachers.
"Poachers terrorize members of the military and the gendarmes" responsible for assuring security in the park, Djombo said. "The situation in the Conkouati Park is catastrophic, but not irreparable."
Djombo announced the establishment of a management committee, including representatives from local populations, to reinforce security on the protected land with the aid of additional troops and gendarmes.
But Alexandre Honore Paka, prefect of Kouilou, Conkouati's administrative region, is opposed to reinforced security measures in the park.
Since 1996, bush meat has been in high demand in the western coastal city of Pointe-Noire, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
For the several thousand people who live in and around Conkouati Park to whom hunting has become a common practice, Djombo proposed the establishment of an economic diversification program.
Conkouati is Congo's third-largest national park and is home to endangered species of elephant and gorilla. Its flourishing habitat is considered one of the largest sites in the world for marine turtle nesting and egg laying.
No official figures from Congo are available concerning the extent of hunting practices in Conkouati.
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Name: Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei)
Primary Classification: Hominidae (Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Orangutans, and Humans) Location: The Virunga volcanoes, which separate Zaire from Uganda and Rwanda. Habitat: Montane tropical rainforest. Diet: Mostly roots, leaves, and stems. Also bark, wood, roots, flowers, fruit, fungi, and invertebrates. Size: Up to 6 ft in length and 450 lbs in weight. Description: Black, long, silky fur. Hairless face, ears, hands and feet. Broad head with short muzzle. Prominent brow rdige. Wide, lared nostrils. Large jaw muscles, broad teeth and long canines. Small eyes and ears. Robust build. Long, muscular arms. Short legs. No tail. Cool Facts: They are the world's largest primates. They are shy and retiring rather than aggressive, and will avoid conflict unless severely threatened. Dominant adult males develop a silver patch of hair on their backs; they are called silverbacks. Conservation Status: Endangered Major Threats: Deforestation, hunting and trophy poaching. What Can I Do?: Visit The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund and the Wildlife Conservation Society's Gorilla Conservation site for information on how you can help. |
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