3 Mountain Gorillas Killed In Congo, Including Pregnant Female; 3 Missing - Nat Geographic

[hatrack]

Three female mountain gorillas were found shot dead this morning in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Virunga National Park. Another three gorillas are missing, and park rangers fear they may have also been killed.

The slaughter deeply shocked the rangers and conservationists who work to protect the endangered gorillas in a park that has been ravaged by civil strife for years.

"This is a disaster," said Emmanuel de Merode, director of WildlifeDirect, a conservation group based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kenya that supports the rangers working in Virunga.

Park staff and WildlifeDirect officials stationed in Virunga's Bukima camp said they heard gunshots coming from inside the dense forest around 8 p.m. on Saturday night.

EDIT

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/070723-gorillas-killed.html

[Double T]

1. Homo sapien is the most vile creature on earth.............

and probably the universe.

[villager]

3. the "sapien" part is errant...

unbearably bad news...

[formerrepuke]

2. Beyond tragic; these animals are doomed..........n/t

[leftchick]

4. Another link and a place to help.....

I donate to this group. God this is heartbreaking. :cry:

http://wildlifedirect.org/blogAdmin/gorilla/

Category
23
Jul Rugendo Family Attacked: 3-6 members killed.
Filed under (Rugendo Family, Mountain Gorillas, Threats) by gorilla @ 01:36 pm
This morning we found three dead females from the Rugendo family. They had all been shot dead. There may even be six gorillas killed in total.
I wish I could tell you more but we are still trying to piece together the information that we have.
We are deeply shocked.

[ramapo]

5. Why?

sick sick sick

[Eugene]

6. Update: 4 Mountain Gorillas Killed in Congo Park - AP

Source: Associated Press

4 Mountain Gorillas Killed in Congo Park

Thursday July 26, 2007 8:31 PM

By ERICA BULMAN

Associated Press Writer

GENEVA (AP) - Four rare mountain gorillas, including an alpha-
male silverback, were shot dead at Congo's Virunga National Park,
conservationists said Thursday.

The International Gorilla Conservation Program, a partnership of
conservation groups that includes the World Wildlife Fund, said it
was unclear who shot the three females and one male and why
they were killed. Seven gorillas have been killed there in seven
months.

Residents heard gunshots Sunday night and alerted park rangers,
who discovered the dead gorillas the following morning.

-snip-

The animals were part of a 12-gorilla group. Six others were
confirmed safe, but a female and an infant are missing, the
organization said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6807851,00.html