Experts Seek Help to Protect Gorillas

[Simon]

Conservation experts appealed Friday for help to improve security and animal safety at a wildlife park in the Democratic Republic of Congo where four mountain gorillas were massacred in July.

The Zoological Society of London said it has worked out an emergency plan with other wildlife conservation groups to secure the endangered mountain gorillas, but that it only has enough funding to safeguard the gorillas for three months.

"We're getting quite worried," said Noelle Kumpel, who manages a conservation program at the society. "There are only around 700 mountain gorillas left in the world and over half of them are found in (Congo)."

Four adult gorillas were found shot dead at the Virunga National Park on July 22. Wildlife conservationists say there were similar incidents earlier in the year, and worry that the trend will continue, Kumpel said.

The three-month emergency plan provides for 24-hour security for six remaining gorilla families, care for a gorilla orphaned in the last attack and a census of those remaining in the park.

A search is also continuing for a missing female gorilla and her infant.

Officials of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which has the Virunga National Park in its list of world heritage sites, have arrived in the city of Goma, which is nearest to the park, to begin a formal investigation of the killings.

Donations to help protect the gorillas can be made through the Web site of the Zoological Society of London.

http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2007/08/17/9...rotect-gorillas

Zoological Society of London: http://www.zsl.org

[armadillo]

I can't get it,gorillas bring many tourists in those areas,natives were supposed to have understood this and be careful not to harm them...

They were supposed to be looking after them,what the...

I am too mad right now to say anything else,that picture is really shocking...

[daim]

I can't get it,gorillas bring many tourists in those areas,natives were supposed to have understood this and be careful not to harm them...

They were supposed to be looking after them,what the...

I am too mad right now to say anything else,that picture is really shocking...

You're right! Vellagers should protect these animals, coz these animals bring tourists in their territory... Killing them doesn't help them at all. I'm used to these kind of shoking pictures and I can't really be mad.. It's a behavior which is continiously seen and many people have it!!! It's not easy to change their the minds.

[armadillo]

I have seen many shocking videos and pictures myself,but I am shock everytime...

So is there a petition or something?I am not good at searching things,so if anyone finds a petition about gorillas please inform me...

[daim]

I have seen many shocking videos and pictures myself,but I am shock everytime...

So is there a petition or something?I am not good at searching things,so if anyone finds a petition about gorillas please inform me...

Me too...

[armadillo]

I saw again that documentary I have about gorillas,and I wasn't wrong,it sais all natives had started to like gorillas and protect them cos they attracted so many tourists in the area.Why did they start again to hunt them??It's really disappointing

[only_green_no_gray]

I saw again that documentary I have about gorillas,and I wasn't wrong,it sais all natives had started to like gorillas and protect them cos they attracted so many tourists in the area.Why did they start again to hunt them??It's really disappointing

Maybe weren't the natives to kill 'em, maybe were illegal poachers

[armadillo]

If it was illegal poachers they wouldn't have taken pictures of the bodies,with the presence of the army...

[only_green_no_gray]

If it was illegal poachers they wouldn't have taken pictures of the bodies,with the presence of the army...

Maybe the poachers couldn't transport the bodies due to the action of the army

[armadillo]

I think there would be a mention in the article about the police finding out what happened and arresting the poachers...Police want to show that they do a great job don't they?There would be a mention I think...

[only_green_no_gray]

I think there would be a mention in the article about the police finding out what happened and arresting the poachers...Police want to show that they do a great job don't they?There would be a mention I think...

But if poachers escaped from the police, they wouldn't wanted to make publicity of that

Or

i'm completely wrong and the gorillas were killed by locals has you said

[Simon]

It is said that the gorillas were killed by local guerillas that wanted to make a stand against the guards of the park that they think belongs to them...

Human stupidity at it best...

[armadillo]

I don't get it...How could killing gorillas help them prove that?They must be really idiots...

Onlygreennogray,if the police had failed to arrest them although they had tried to do so,they would hardly let photographers take photos of them sitting peacefully next to the poachers....

[online.education]

Maybe weren't the natives to kill 'em, maybe were illegal poachers

Sadly, there is a great demand for gorillas' (and other animals) dead bodies. Unless that demand goes away, this problem continues.