"We do not have a deterrent force," Kisuki said. "Our weakness is also the weakness of Congo government, which is in the middle of reconstruction after years of war."
He however expressed hope that the great apes conference, which wound up on Friday, would put the Democratic Republic of Congo’s conservation hurdles on the world map.
The conference gathered representatives from the 23 so-called "great ape range states" and wildlife experts in Kinshasa to consider a raft of proposals for ensuring the survival of the primates.
It is the first at governmental level of the United Nations-backed Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP), an ambitious scheme launched in Paris in 2003 to sustain and begin to boost their dwindling populations by 2010.
Pressure from disease, war, deforestation and the bushmeat trade has pushed the "great apes" — highland and lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos in Africa and orangutans in Southeast Asia — to the verge of extinction with experts predicting their complete demise by 2055 unless urgent action is taken.
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.
