Enquiries lead by Congolese Wilidlife Authority ICCN has established that the six elephant poachers caught Sunday were not FDLR as I wrote. They are local villagers hired by some corrupted Congolese Army Officers. They are from Kibirizi, a village at 15 km in the Western side of Rwindi, the ICCN HQ of the central sector of Virunga National Park. The one in yellow T-Shirt is the shooter.
local villagers from Kibirizi who shot elephant
They shot the elephant just 200 m near a position of the FARDC in Kahunga. Being in the forest, they didn’t realize that they were just near an Army position. That is the reason they were caught. The total number of elephants killed might be more than 14 because some elephants shot far in the bush couldn’t be recorded. In the central sector, ICCN has lost the control of large Mammals habitat occupied by FDLR-Interahamwe (Rwandan Militias). Also, two brigades of the Army (9th and 15th) are deployed in that sector. In these conditions, wildlife rangers have problems to put an end to this poaching. The poachers are still in the hands of the 9th Brigade in Rwindi. Conservationists should keep a close eye to make sure the poachers are prosecuted. Tusks have been collected by ICCN HQ in Goma.
9 Comments posted on "Sunday’s Elephant Poachers"
Joanne - UK on May 1st, 2008 at 7:26 am
Sorry, but I hope they’re locked up and have the key chucked away! scum!
sheryl, washington dc on May 1st, 2008 at 7:29 am
Have they given the names of the FARDC officers who hired them? They should be prosecuted as well. s.
Virginia on May 1st, 2008 at 10:32 am
I agree with Joanne. Thanks for the update.
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL on May 1st, 2008 at 5:47 pm
I couldn’t even comment on the post about these elephants being butchered. Again, we feel so impotent. Just worrying about the remaining population of these beautiful creatures makes me really sad. Nature is trying to address this problem, over the last century the tusks of elephants are getting smaller, but time in not on their side. And neither is man.
Lucia Cristiana, Brasil on May 1st, 2008 at 6:30 pm
This kill and the bad news about lifting on ban of killing elephants of South Africa. What can we do to help these poor elephants?
Ephrem Balole on May 2nd, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Dear all
Nancy on May 2nd, 2008 at 5:18 pm
This is so horrible. I have to say I have far more hostile feelings about the appetite for ivory than I do toward the poachers, who I’m guessing lack education to know better & basic resources to sustain themselves. I know they have fewer choices than I do. I simply don’t understand the lust for such things. It strikes me as obscene. And it is certainly gutless and cruel. I don’t mean to be a bleeding heart, but I don’t think that simply punishing the poachers & throwing away the key will solve much. As long as there is demand, and people profiting, and people living in such desperate, limited situations that they stoop to such measures to survive, it will go on. God bless the sweet elephant souls. God bless Africa…
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL on May 2nd, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Dear God, What can we do, any suggestions? Nancy, I doubt these poachers will see the inside of a cell. But they should and all the big wheels, as well. Why isn’t the media running with this story…where is the outcry?
Joannah on May 9th, 2008 at 7:14 am
I feel so bad for those elephants, I mean, they should have a cahnce to live. They didn’t do anything wrong to be hurt or killed. Those who kill them should be locked up! Post a comment
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