Gorilla Journal 39, December 2009

Death of another Gorilla at Mt. Tshiaberimu

The silverback male Kanindo from the tiny gorilla population on Mt. Tshiaberimu died after falling down a ravine. He was thought to be in his late twenties or older. He is the seventh gorilla to die in the region in just over 2 years. There are now just 16 gorillas in this isolated population.
It appears that Kanindo fell down a gully at the edge of the park and probably spent 4 days paralysed before he was discovered. He was unable to move, and he could not be lifted out. Vets from Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) and trackers stayed with him for 3 days fighting unsuccessfully to save him. Kanindo died just before 18:00 h on 11 July 2009. A veterinary assessment found fractures and signs of a heavy fall. He was buried at a livestock farm at the edge of the park where he was well-known to the farmer, who said he was very fond of the gorilla.

Summary of a News Release by The Gorilla Organization

Mt. Tshiaberimu Overview

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