The senseless and tragic killing of four vulnerable mountain gorillas has come as a shock to animal conservationists, not only endangering a hapless group but also putting a 20 years old successful conservation program under threat. In seven months, seven apes have fallen victim to the growing Congo conflict, in one of the most troubled regions of Africa.

This time the four helpless mountain gorillas were targeted not by the poachers but rebel militias who would rather have the park without armed rangers. This was a chilling deathly message asking the rangers to get out, so that they can carry out the area’s lucrative charcoal trade.The execution was carried out in a reserve for their protection, the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The females, named Safari, Neeza and Mburanumwe, and the alpha-male silverback, Rugendo were cruelly killed. Alpha males fulfill a leadership role within a group, the others are endangered by the death of the alpha male, who leads them to food and protects them from danger. The animals were part of a 12-gorilla group. One of the dead females was pregnant. There were two vulnerable babies with their mothers when the shootings happened. One survived but the other is missing.

Many rangers brave the uneven odds to track and protect gorillas. In the last decade, 150 rangers and guards in Congo parks have lost their lives to poachers, rebel militias, and others who would prefer the parks unregulated.

Further threat to an endangered species

The mountain gorillas of Central Africa are one of the closest relatives of humanity. With just 700 mountain gorillas in the world today and none in captivity, the indiscriminate killing of the gorillas is a major loss.

Today about 320 mountain gorillas inhabit the Virungas, but their long-term survival continues to be threatened. Most of the deaths are attributable to poachers who kill the gorillas for their meat or to capture infants.

Deforestation for Charcoal and tropical hardwood and the invasion of refugees in the National Park puts the gorillas at risk, not only from poaching, but also from being pushed higher up the mountains, where they may suffer respiratory problems.

Virunga National Park

The sprawling Virunga National Park, which straddles the border of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda, lies in the heart of one of the most troubled regions of Africa. It is characterized by largely unspoiled tropical montane forests that are extremely rich in biological diversity.

In 1979 the region was inscribed in the Unesco World Heritage List. It is also the region closely associated with Dian Fossey, the American zoologist. In 2006, more than 400 hippopotamuses were killed in one fortnight by a Congolese militia group Mai Mai here.

The area is home to a vast array of rebel militias, government soldiers, foreign troops, and villagers who are indifferent to the rangers protecting the park.

Despite its protected status, encroachment for farming and settlement, as well as by warring rebel factions, is leading to uncontrolled exploitation of the natural resource base, as well as wildlife poaching.

For now, the plan to sabotage conservation efforts seems to have backfired. Congolese wildlife authorities, with support from the army, are stepping up patrols within the Virunga National Park to protect the mountain gorilla population. Guard posts are being constructed to provide 24-hour surveillance.

For the poor people of this troubled region, there can be another sustainable source of revenue. The National Parks get most of their revenues from the tourists who come to see the gorillas, this is the money used for their protection. It also means jobs as rangers for the local populace. Eco tourism might not bring in tons of money straight away, as does the charcoal and tropical wood business but it remains the only means of protecting these gorillas from extinction before their habitat is cut down forever.

Image credits: [1], [2]