SOS: 14 Elephants killed in Virunga
Category: Uncategorized | Date: Apr 29 2008 | By: admin
This is Ephrem. During the last two weeks, the Virunga National Park has lost 14 elephants and 2 hippos as recorded below. All the park has been affected especially the central sector: Rwindi and Rutshuru where 12 elephants have been recorded. The main responsible of this killing are Rwanda militias (FDLR): 5 elephants, Congolese militias (PARECO): 3 elephants and Congolese soldiers (FARDC): 5. A Congolese high Commander has recently told to soldiers that poaching is a crime that is going to be severely punished.
| N° | Specie | Number | Date | Location | responsible |
| Â | Elephant | 1 | 14-04-08 | Kasoso/Lulimbi | FDLR |
| Â | Elephant | 1 | 15-04-08 | Kyavinyonge/ Northern sector | Poisoned by local people |
| Â | Elephant | 1 | 15-04-08 | Kaligirwa/RUTSHURU | FDLR |
| Â | Hippopotamus | 1 | 16-04-08 | Kasindi-Port/Northern sector | FARDC |
| Â | Hippopotamus | 1 | Â 20-04-08 | Kahumiro/RWINDI | PARECO |
| Â | Elephant | 1 | 20-04-08 | Plaine de Kibirizi/RWINDI | FARDC 9th Brigade |
| Â | Elephant | 1 | Â 21-04-08 | Kahumiro/RWINDI | PARECO |
| Â | Elephant | 2 | 22-04-08 | Kinyamuyagha/RWINDI | FARDC 9th Brigade and FDLR |
| Â | Elephant | 1 | 22-04-08 | Kahumiro/RWINDI | PARECO |
| Â | Elephant | 2 | 23-04-08 | Kinyamuyagha/RWINDI | FARDC 9th Brigade |
| Â | Elephant | 1 | 23-04-08 | Plaine de Kibirizi/RWINDI | FDLR |
| Â | Elephant | 1 | 24-04-08 | Kahumiro/RWINDI | PARECO |
| Â | Elephant | 1 | 24-04-08 | Kahunga/RUTSHURU | FARDC 15th Brigade |
| Â | Elephant | 1 | 27-04-08 | Kahunga/Rwindi | FDLR |
| Total                     | 14 Elephants and 2 Hippopotamus | ||||
 Sunday afertnoon, while coming from Beni with WCS’s vehicle, we met at Mabenga checkpoint a FARDC and rangers joint patrol coming from the forest. They have just arrested 6 Rwandan militias who killed an elephant near their positions of Kahunga. Unfortunatly , it wasn’t possible to take a picture. These men have been transfered at Rwindi, the ICCN HQ of the central sector of Virunga National Park. they should be prosecuted.
There is an increase of ivory demand that is a solid incentive of looting elephants in the park. The networks are in the DRC as well as in the neighbouring countries. In Bujumbura, some dealers are paying more than US$ 50 /kg. Congolese Park Authority  is facing many difficulties to put an end to this poaching.
-
100% of your donation, minus a small bank fee, will go to your intended purpose.
Donations made here are safe.
-
Mountain Gorilla News- Congo Rebel Leader Threatens War - About - News & Issues
- Gorillas in the midst of the Congolese conflict in Virunga ... - Irish Times
- African governments commit to protect gorillas - Surfbirds News
- Congo Rangers Return to Virunga Gorilla Sector - Environment News Service
- Congo Guerrillas Threaten Mountain Gorillas - NPR
- Virunga National Park
- Gorillas in the midst of the Congolese conflict in Virunga ... - Irish Times
- Congolese flee as rebels take town in North Kivu - African Press Agency
- Park rangers return to Congo’s imperiled gorillas - Worldfocus
- Congo Rangers Return to Virunga Gorilla Sector - Environment News Service
- In war-torn Congo, a pleasant surprise - Plenty Magazine
8 Responses to “SOS: 14 Elephants killed in Virunga”
elephant » Blog Archive » SOS: 14 Elephants killed in Virunga, on 29 Apr 2008
[…] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptDuring the last two weeks, the Virunga National Park has lost 14 elephants and 2 hippos as recorded below. All the park has been affected especially the central sector: Rwindi and Rutshuru where 12 elephants have been recorded. … […]
Dipesh Pabari, on 29 Apr 2008
Does anyone know if the allegations against UN peacekeepers (see Manioc Valley Blob) is bineg investigated seriously. Both the supply and the demand have to be addressed
Paula, on 29 Apr 2008
This report needs to be filed with CITES and the MIKE (Monitoring illegal killing of elephants) program which is handled by the African elephant specialist Group. Ephrem pls send me the details in an email and I’ll send on the alarm for you
sheryl, washington dc, on 30 Apr 2008
Dipesh asked my question. Now that the news about corrupt UN peacekeepers has broken, I think it’s time to start writing to the UN and the U.S. Congress to launch a serious investigation. I’ll try to dig up contact info later today.
s.
Brigitta, Switzerland, on 30 Apr 2008
There have been terrible news in the newspapers of switzerland about Uno-soldiers from India and Pakistan. They have been arrestet because they have traded wappons for evory and gold!
Sorry the text is in german http://www.20min.ch/news/ausland/story/28153300
Wanda, Atlanta, on 30 Apr 2008
We need to overwhelm the U.S. Congress and UN with complaints and letters, etc.
endingcharcoal, on 30 Apr 2008
At the last news, the six guys arrested are not FDLR members. They are local people from Kibirizi (west of the park), hired by soldiers to poach elephants for ivory. ICCN hasn’t the control of these poachers who are handled by the army. According to the involvement of soldiers in the poaching, these guys could fly away without any prosecution. conservationnists have to monitor carefully.
Pirjo,Finland, on 02 May 2008
Daily Telegraph in UK published recently an interview with Richard Leakey, in which Mr. Leakey addresses the increasing problem with poaching and how it is starting to have a dramatic effect on wildlife all across Africa. The loss of both big and small mammals are being ignored and people don’t seem to understand that many species can be lost forever.
We should join forces and start collecting a petition to protect the wildlife.
Trackback URI | Comments RSS
Leave a Reply