Killing of Gorillas in the Virunga National Park26th July 2007: In the Mikeno Sector of the Virunga National Park 3 dead gorilla females of the Rugendo group were found after rangers had heard shots in the evening of the 21th July 2007. On the 24th, the silverback male of the group was also found dead. Two of the females had infants; one of them was recovered from her brother for hand-rearing on the 26th, but the rangers fear that the other one, who is only two years old, is dead too or may die soon. We will support the rangers' patrols with rations now; effective law enforcement is essential to protect the park. Moreover, a solution will have to be found for the miserable situation of the population living near the park; the people have suffered from lootings, murders and rapes continuously for so many years now and feel abandoned. If they have the impression that gorillas are more important to the world than their lives, they are of course frustrated. For the survival of the gorillas the welfare of the people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is also necessary. Update: On August 16th, rangers found the remains of the female Macibiri, who had also been killed during the massacre. Her 1.5 year-old infant Ntaribi is still missing, but as it was still suckling, it is very probably that it is dead too. Details in the gorilla
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