Gorillas may save Congolese
2007-11-05 15:17
Washington - If the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo save the mountain gorilla, might the gorilla return the favour?
That was the hope of environmental activists, who realised that wildlife conservation and tourism could be the key to survival for people as well as animals in a part of Africa, where conflict had been the norm.
Mountain gorillas were gentle giants that ranged across the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC in Africa. These primates were considered extremely endangered, with less than 720 in existence.
After a decade of relative calm for these animals - the same could not be said of the humans around them - wildlife officials report at least 10 had been killed this year.
Photographs documenting the slaughter were heartbreaking, mostly because of the peaceful, human-like expressions the dead gorillas wore.
'Plight of the gorillas'
These pictures were part of the tool kit brought to the United States by Arthur Mugisha, a former game warden in Uganda and now manager of the International Gorilla Conservation Programme.
In an interview, Mugisha, acknowledged that the people of the DRC could well survive without the mountain gorilla, even though they might not survive the continuing conflict between government forces and rebels in the Virunga National Forest.
But he said the plight of the gorillas was one way to focus attention on the plight of the humans.
Mugisha said: "If we were not talking about gorillas ... the story would be very different. It would be another group of people who are suffering and dying, and the world continues."
According to Craig Sholley of the African Wildlife Foundation, no one really knew why mountain gorillas were being killed now, though jealousy might play a role.
'They can die any time'
Sholley said that in this area of rich biodiversity, Uganda and Rwanda had been able to capitalise on gorilla tourism, with tourist permits alone accounting for some $15m in annual revenue. DRC's unstable government had been unable to do the same.
Sholley said: "Folks in the DRC are taking a look at the successful situation in Rwanda and Uganda, which have revitalised over the last several years, and they're jealous.
"A degree of jealousy has led to a degree of institutional breakdown that is causing problems in terms of enforcement on the ground."
Mugisha said that personal animosity might also be a factor with gorilla killings becoming a way to settle scores against those charged with protecting the creatures.
What was clear was that fighting between Congolese military and rebels in the park had left gorillas unprotected as park rangers and civilians flee from violence.
Mugisha said: "They live hour-by-hour, not even day-by-day, because any time they can die. These are communities that are looking for livelihood, but they are not sure if they will be able to see tomorrow, so it's a very frustrating and empty life that they are living."
The possibility for change might lie in saving the gorillas and their environment, Mugisha said. His programme worked to make sure that, through the gunfire, wildlife professionals were still able to go into the gorilla areas to do their jobs.