Slaughter of Gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega
Frequent poaching of gorillas on a massive scale occurred in the Kahuzi-Biega
National Park in 1999. All 4 habituated groups which had accepted tourists
no longer exist, and it is suspected that more than half of the population
(240 gorillas) in the original sector of the park (600 km²) has recently
been killed. Poaching activities in the large lowland sector (the rest
of 6,000 km²) is anticipated to be more severe. The eastern lowland gorillas
(Grauer's gorillas) are now in critical danger of extinction.
This October, I had long talks with conservators (Mushenji Lusenge and
Mankoto ma Oyisenzoo) and all the guides and trackers of the Kahuzi-Biega
National Park. In summary, this is their story. The slaughter occurred
consecutively within 1999.
Until the end of July 1998, 4 groups of gorillas had been monitored by
the park staff on a daily basis for tourism. The Mushamuka group consisted
of 10 gorillas (1 blackback, 4 females and 5 immatures), the Maheshe II
(Lambchop) group consisted of 15 gorillas (1 silverback, 10 females and
4 immatures), the Nindja group consisted of 25 gorillas (13 females and
12 immatures), and the Mubalala group consisted of 21 gorillas (1 silverback,
1 blackback, 10 females and 9 immatures). Because of an outbreak of internal
war in the beginning of August and the following control by the rebel
government, the park staff were disarmed and could not enter the park.
The main entrances (Tshivanga and Kahuzi) were closed and transport stopped
between Bunyakiri and Bukavu (lowland sector and highland sector). No
direct observations had been made and little information had been available
on the four groups until the end of March 1999 when the park staff resumed
monitoring of the groups and regular patrols without arms.
Since July 1998, the Mubalala group could not be found in their former
range. In February 1999, the park staff found a large number of gorilla
bones scattered within the range of the group. Piles of bones were found
burned in some places. They also heard from villagers nearby that dead
bodies of gorillas had been seen to be transported by poachers to Kalonge
(a village beside the lowland sector of the park). It is suspected that
most members of the Mubalala group were killed by poachers in the bushmeat
trade. Since then, no gorilla group has been found in this area.
In June 1999, the park staff found a fresh nest site of gorillas and
counted 12 nests including 3 juveniles' nests. They tried to contact them
and confirmed that at least 2 females showed no fear of their approach.
These females may be immigrants from the habituated groups (most possibly
from Mubalala group). They named this group Mufanzala and started to monitor
them. In September, the park staff counted 14 nests. In October, the Mufanzala
group moved to the base of Mt. Biega, out of reach of the regular patrol,
but efforts to contact them have been continuously made.
The Maheshe II group was found to be a large group (23 gorillas) in the
beginning of April 1999, when the park staff started to monitor this group
again. Several females had immigrated and some babies have been born in
this group since August 1998. However, the group moved to the former range
of the Mubalala group where poaching activities were high. Gunfire was
frequently heard. At the end of July, the group was lost and no nests
were found in this area until August 17, when the park staff saw a poacher's
hut. Many gorilla skulls were found there. Poachers smoked gorilla meat
on a fire. In September, the park staff arrested a group of poachers with
numerous fragments of gorilla fur, skull and bone. It is possible that
most members of the Maheshe II group were slaughtered by these poachers
for bushmeat.
The Mushamuka group was not found when park staff resumed monitoring
activities and patrols in April 1999. This group had probably disintegrated
before then. However, a small group consisting of a silverback/blackback,
3 females, a juvenile and an infant was found in the former range of the
Mushamuka group. The maturing silverback, named Kaboko, was confirmed
to have been born in the Mushamuka group in 1987. He lost his right hand
to a snare during childhood. This year he was given a new name, Mugaruka
(the name of the present chief in the village near the Tshivanga Station).
A subadult male had also lost his right hand and had a disabled left hand.
When I observed him this time, a wire rope was still tight on his right
wrist. He walked bipedally. It was a very disheartening sight to see.
Nevertheless Mugaruka and the other gorillas showed no fear of our approach.
The park staff have continued to monitor this group.
The Nindja group consisted of 19 nest-builders with 5 infants when I
visited them on April 7, 1999. On April 11, the sound of gunfire was frequently
heard from within the range of the Nindja group and since then, the group
has not been found. Some time later, a number of dead gorilla bodies were
seen being carried by poachers to villages neaby. It is likely that most
members of the group were shot and killed by the poachers.
In July, a group of gorillas who had formally ranged in Mbayo (the north
of Tshivanga Station) moved into the former range of the Nindja group.
The park started to monitor and to habituate this group. They found at
least 3 females of the Nindja group associating with them. They counted
16 nests in July and 26 nests in September. Apparently other gorillas
have recently joined the group. In October, the group included a silverback
and at least 5 juveniles and 3 infants; the total number reached 31. The
silverback was named Mishebere (the name of a dedicated tracker in the
Kahuzi-Biega National Park) and had a disabled left hand (probably the
result of a snare in the past). A 3-year-old juvenile also had a disabled
right hand. Mishebere and the other members of the group have been quickly
habituated and accepted visitors by September.
I also got sad news about my study group (Ganyamulume group). Although
I was not able to visit them this time because of the insecurity in their
range area near Tshibati, my field assistant and trackers have visited
them on a daily basis. A young silverback was shot dead by poachers in
August and a solitary male has recently begun to associate with the group.
Fortunately, all females and immatures have remained as a unit and move
together. The group size has therefore not changed. However, neighbouring
groups have disappeared from this area. Until August of last year, 4 groups
had always ranged around Tshibati. However, this year 3 of them have not
been found. They too were probably slaughtered for bushmeat, like the
habituated groups.
In September, the park authorities summoned 67 suspected poachers and
asked them about their recent activities (they had been promised that
they would not be punished for poaching during the war). They reported
to have hunted animals due to starvation. Most of them had experiences
of poaching both elephants and gorillas, even close to the Tshivanga Station.
The park authorities decided to employ 40 of them to assist in tracking
gorillas and patrolling in the park to break snares and poacher's huts.
Guides and trackers visited Mugaruka, Mishebere and Mufanzala groups every
day, and a few of them remained with each group to watch them from 6:00
to 18:00 h. Since this decision was made, poaching activities have significantly
decreased and no gorilla has been lost in the habituated groups.
Now, the park staff keep 20% of the original part safe for gorillas with
frequent patrols (Kahuzi-Biega-Kasirusiru-Tshivanga-Tshibati). It is not
possible to monitor the rest of the park which seems to be frequented
by poachers. The lowland sector is completely out of control of the park
staff. From the tragedies of the former habituated groups, it is estimated
that more than 60 gorillas were killed by poachers. If the disappearance
of the 3 groups around Tshibati and the possible killing of gorillas in
unmonitored areas of the park are taken into account, more than half of
the gorilla population in the original sector of the Kahuzi-Biega National
Park was lost this year. The situation in the lowland sector may be worse.
Starvation and the spread of guns among the local people during the war
are the main causes of this situation. During my stay in Bukavu, I heard
that the meat of gorillas was sold at 25 cents US/kg (half the price of
beef!) everywhere.
Guy Debonnet (GTZ: Gesellschaft für technische Zusammenarbeit -
German development organization) has proposed a population census in the
original part of Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Although the political situation
is still difficult, the number of surviving gorillas and the present situation
of other mammals should be surveyed as soon as possible so that urgent
conservation measures can be taken. International teams should be organized
and financed to conduct this survey in the near future. The survey team
should include the Congolese researchers and resident people. It will
hopefully attract international attention to the tragedies of gorillas
at Kahuzi and will remind the local people that the gorillas there are
both a national and world heritage.
Juichi Yamagiwa
Photo: Carlos Schuler
Killed silverback
Prof. Dr. Juichi Yamagiwa has been involved in field work of eastern gorillas since 1978, mainly at Kahuzi-Biega. He studied gorillas at Karisoke in 1981 and 1982 and conducted extensive surveys at Masisi and Itebero from 1987 to 1991. He promoted a cooperative research project on gorillas and chimpanzees at the Tshibati area of Kahuzi-Biega with CRSN and IZCN/ICCN.