New team to protect Congo gorillas
Gorillas in Virunga National Park have been threatened in the past year
Friday, 08, Aug 2008 10:01
A new director for the Virunga National Park in the African Congo has been appointed one year after the worst mountain gorilla massacre on record.
The appointment of Dr Emmanuel de Merode, former chief executive of conservation group WildlifeDirect, has been welcomed by conservationists as a signal that the Congolese authorities want to step up anti-poaching and prevent forest destruction in what is Africa's oldest national park.
Mr de Merode's deputy at the ICCN will be Norbert Mushenzi, one of the most experienced senior wardens in the region.
Their appointments follow a year which has seen Laurent Nkunda's rebels take over the gorilla sector of Virunga National Park, as well as the ongoing trial of the suspects charged with orchestrating the killing of six mountain gorillas in July 2007.
WildlifeDirect says the presence of an estimated 4,000 armed militias throughout the park, and a growing demand for the park's natural resources – including charcoal, bushmeat and other illegal products - has led to massive and sustained attacks on the park's wildlife.
In 2007 ten mountain gorillas were killed and the hippo population of Lake Edward, once the greatest in the world, has been depleted by over 95 per cent by armed militias. Over 120 rangers in Virunga have lost their lives in the line of duty after a decade of armed conflict in the region.
The ICCN, backed by financial assistance from the European Union, aims to launch a plan to re-establish the rule of law within the national park, prevent the destruction of its wildlife and secure the park as a basis for stability and economic growth in the country.
ICCN director Cosma Wilungula said: "We are absolutely committed to taking all the necessary measures to protect the mountain gorillas and bring security to the people living around Virunga National Park.
"The new team that we have appointed is a major step toward achieving this goal."
Commenting on his new role, Mr de Merode said: "The intensity of the conflict in and around the park makes this a daunting challenge, but it is a great privilege to be working alongside such a dedicated and courageous team of rangers, with the support of the director of ICCN.
"I have real confidence in our ability to secure a future for the park to ensure that it makes a positive contribution to the lives of the people of North Kivu."