Plans to protect gorilla massacre survivors
Friday, 17 Aug 2007 08:09
Ndeze is being cared for after surviving the massacre
Protection plans have been announced at a national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo to protect the survivors of a gorilla massacre which occurred last month.
The body of one silverback and three female gorillas were found on July 22nd in Virunga national park; a mother and a baby gorilla are still missing from the family.
Working with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), a coalition of conservation groups is funding an action plan to ensure the safety of the remaining six gorilla families living in the park.
Included in the plan is heightened protection from park ranger teams with 24-hour surveillance of the remaining families.
A baby which was found hugging its brother after the massacre, called Ndeze, is also being looked after by rangers at a village near the park and ZSL is working on funding for the baby gorilla's care.
Another orphan from a previous attack is still being looked after and searches are ongoing for the missing gorillas involved in July's massacre.
Dr Noelle Kumpel, bushmeats and forests conservation programme manager at ZSL, said: "The massacre of four mountain gorillas was a devastating tragedy and it is now essential that we now provide constant protection to the remaining families.
"Shockingly, this is not the first time that gorillas in the park have been slaughtered in this way and we are calling on the public to support our appeal for funds to help us ensure that it does not happen again."
Pictures released of the slaughtered gorillas caused shock around the world and widespread condemnation of the killings.
An external investigation into the massacre, carried out by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisaiton (Unesco) is ongoing.