Primates at the Edge of the Abyss
Since the beginning of armed conflict in the African countries located
in the Great Lakes Region, the primates have become victims for several
reasons. In the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo the weakening
of the capabilities for action of the institutions charged with conservation,
resulting from the disarmament of the guards and the lack of operational
means, has brought about an incapacity for these institutions to contain
the threats to the protection of the monkeys and other animals of the
protected areas. In this part of the country, the primates are pursued
for several reasons.
Gorillas have become victims of:
- The battlefield. Several died between 1998 and very recently, caught in the cross-fire of combat troops.
- Their rarity. They have been sought for the commerce of the babies, who can be captured only at the cost of the lives of the parents and other young ones. Dozens of mountain gorillas have perished under these circumstances.
- The war. Breaking the food taboo, some of the combatants have eaten them. This was also the case for some Pygmies and Ituri Forest Bantu who were eaten by soldiers at the front.
- Reduced living space is pushing them to leave the forest to look for food in the villagers’ fields. A recent case is reported below.
Brief Story of the Death of the Gorilla Bahati
The young gorilla "Bahati" was part of the Rugendo family. The
young male was born December 6, 1999. His mother was the female Neza.
He was stoned to death on January 21, 2003, near the Bikenge patrol post
between Jomba and Bukima. In this area near the border of the Virunga
National Park the fields of the local population have been damaged by
gorillas for several years. To reduce or to mitigate these depredations,
which cause conflicts between the park and the population, the IGCP has
initiated a project called HuGo, which means "Human-Gorilla
Conflict Force". The activity of HuGo consists of repulsing
the animals by ringing bells, beating tam-tams and making a lot of noise.
On January 21, 2003, the Rugendo family came out of the forest and ate
235 corn stalks in a field belonging to a man named Ntaho. The people,
wanting to chase the gorillas away, threw projectiles at the gorillas.
The young gorilla Bahati was seriously hurt and died. Ndagijimana Mudahaka,
Hakizimana Nzitonda, Twizere and Baseka Ntibisigwa were identified as
the culprits who threw pieces of wood and stones in the direction of the
gorillas.
The Other Monkeys
Besides primates that are already eaten or smoked in the forest, some
monkeys are brought alive to Goma for sale. The species kept in captivity
most frequently are the chimpanzee, sometimes dragged about in the streets
of Goma, Cercopithecus ascanius, Cercopithecus mitis, grey-cheeked
mangabey and black mangabey. The monkeys in question are captured in the
forest west of Goma, often after massacring and eating their families
(the primate food taboo exists solely in the Mikeno area). At the beginning
of April three chimpanzees were seized by the ICCN and brought to the
CRSN (Center for Scientific Research) at Lwiro where an orphanage for
primates is being created. This first seizure is to be encouraged and
will stimulate the search for other monkeys in the town so they can be
seized and sent to Lwiro; this will discourage the traffickers and holders
of monkeys.
It is difficult to say at this time how many monkeys are kept in Goma
or its surroundings. The people who collect information are extremely
limited due to the lack of funding. They are reporting that among the
persons who are holding monkeys, some have baby gorillas. This is yet
to be confirmed.
Fines and Penalties
The persons responsible for the death of the gorilla Bahati were arrested
by ICCN guards and taken to the Goma High Court. They were given a trial
and found guilty. However, they were released a few days later as they
claimed that they had acted without premeditation and in self-defense.
While the civilian population is suffering great agricultural losses and
is prosecuted in case of any incident with the animals, the armed men
are untouchable and cause great harm to the animals, keeping them for
their pleasure in their homes to serve as play things for their children
or their own amusement. Above all, they try to sell chimpanzees or baby
gorillas.
However, the threat does not only weigh on the primates but also on other
large mammals, birds, fishes, the flora, and soil. Aside from poaching,
fields occupy large areas of the park. These are complex conflicts that
must be resolved at all costs.
Claude Sikubwabo Kiyengo and Déo Kajuga Binyeri
Déo Kajuga Binyeri has been working for conservation
since a long time. He directed several national park stations, for example
the station Rumangabo. At the moment he is the Provincial Directeur of
the ICCN (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature)
North Kivu.
Claude Sikubwabo Kiyengo conducted a gorilla
survey in the Maiko National Park from 1989 to 1992, and in 1994 he took
part in the gorilla census in Kahuzi-Biega. After that he worked for the
ICCN in Goma and from 2000 to 2004 for the IUCN program PPP. After
having worked for IUCN to develop programs that will be implemented during
the next years, he joined ICCN again in 2006.