News from Kahuzi-Biega

The exploitation of the coltan reserves in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park is a serious threat to the biodiversity of this protected area. In the beginning of 2001, the price for coltan had reached US$ 100 per kilogram. At that time, approximately 15,000 people were inside the park and 69 quarries were operating. In June, the price for coltan started falling drastically. Currently, prices are between US$ 1 and 10, depending on how much tantalum the ore contains.
It is not known whether this dramatic drop in price has had an impact on the situation in the lower part of the park. Two mines were closed, the level of air traffic in the region has declined and the number of foreigners in the area has decreased. However, the local population and the armed groups who settled in the park during the coltan boom are still there. Of course, they are now looking for alternative ways of making a living. The mining of gold has recently intensified in the region, seemingly as a substitute for coltan. The park is at risk from extensive cultivation of agricultural areas inside the park, deforestation of the rain forest and fishing methods that permanently damage lakes and rivers.
It is rumoured that several gorilla babies, chimpanzees and parrots are in the possession of private individuals in Bukavu. It should be mentioned that elephant meat is no longer available anywhere, but this may merely be an indication that the elephants of the lower part of the park have met the same cruel fate as the elephants of the mountainous part (the latter were all massacred between 1997 and 1999).
The people who are currently inside the park know that they will be driven out sooner or later, so everyone is trying to take anything of value with them - and as much of it as possible. They are currently building up stocks of forest products in order to continue selling them after they have been driven out. This massive exploitation of the natural resources is currently the biggest threat to the fauna and flora of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. It is urgent that the people who live in the area of the national park be resettled, and assisted in developing livelihoods that do not rely upon exploitation of the park's resources.
The good news is that the illegal contracts on land utilisation in the area of the Kahuzi-Biega corridor, which were given to 12 farmers, were annulled. This finally affirmed the correct legal position of the ICCN (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature). In August/September 2000, the South Kivu governor's office deployed a mission to determine the park borders, in order to put an end to a conflict between the park and farmers who had settled illegally inside the park. After the mission had finished its work, it came under attack. Nine people were killed and one person is still missing. Subsequently, their reference marks were found on the ground. From these data, the exact position of the farms in relation to the park could be determined. The responsible authority informed the farmers concerned that their contracts were annulled, although one problem still remains: 4 farmers have already received their registration papers. The Bukavu Court of Justice is due to conduct a hearing in which the annulment of these papers is to be undertaken, but the court has not made any statement on this case for a year.

Two Gorillas Born – More than 7000 Killed

Two gorilla babies were born in the mountainous part of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. The number of the gorillas living there is estimated to be around 130. The two habituated gorilla families of Mugaruka and Mishebere together include 52 animals.
However, the two newborn gorillas are a minimal increase compared to the tragic loss of so many individuals during the last few years. It is estimated that of the 8,000 gorillas who lived in the park some years ago only about 1,000 will survive the war. We should do our best to ensure their survival.

Valery Kasereka Bishikwabo

Valery Kasereka Bishikwabo was the chief warden of Kahuzi-Biega National Park and the director of the "Integrated Nature Conservation Project in Eastern D. R. Congo" (Projet PNKB-GTZ) until spring 2002. He has a masters degree in regional land use and development at Université Laval of Québec/Canada. He has been involved in the conservation of Kahuzi-Biega for the last 10 years.

Kahuzi-Biega overview

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