New arrival for DR Congo gorillas
Conservationists in DR Congo are celebrating the birth
of a baby mountain gorilla in a group of great apes
in the Virunga National Park.
The new arrival was discovered on Tuesday by rangers
during a routine check of the group, known to researchers
as the Munyaga family.
Wildlife groups described the birth as "a key
step toward the survival of this critically endangered
species".
Since January, nine gorillas in the region have been
killed by gunmen.
Despite the slaughter of the gorillas in July that
shocked the whole world, we can see that they are fighting
to survive
Norbert Mushenzi, ICCN
The worst attack happened in late July, which resulted
in four apes being shot dead inside the national park,
located in the north-east of the Democratic Republic
of Congo.
Conservationists described the killings as "executions"
because the bodies were left at the scene, whereas poachers
would have sold the carcasses as either food or trophies.
'Significant birth'
Norbert Mushenzi, a local director for the Institute
for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), said the birth
was very welcome news in what had been a grim period.
"Despite the slaughter of the gorillas in July
that shocked the whole world, we can see that they are
fighting to survive," Mr Mushenzi said.
"ICCN is collaborating with all conservation NGOs
to intensify the protection of the gorillas with additional
guards and reinforced patrols."
The rangers who made the discovery said the baby gorilla,
a male, was born on Tuesday.
His mother, Balali, is the only female in the Munyaga
family. The other members are made up of three silverbacks
(dominant males) and a blackback.
"Every birth is important, but given the fact
that we lost 1% of the world's population in July alone
this latest birth is even more significant," said
Robert Muir from the Frankfurt Zoological Society.
"We are doing everything we can to try and keep
the gorillas safe and ensure there is not a repeat of
last month's slaughter."
'Crisis management'
The ICCN and conservation groups, including WildlifeDirect,
Frankfurt Zoological Society and the Zoological Society
of London (ZSL), are funding a £50,000 ($100,000) three-month
crisis management programme following the recent series
of attacks.
The programme aims to increase the number of rangers
patrolling the sector and the frequency of these patrols.
The slaughter of four gorillas in July shocked the world
A census of the remaining mountain gorilla families
is also being carried out.
Dr Richard Leakey, chairman of WildlifeDirect, said
the news did not hide the fact that gorilla conservation
in the region was still facing a crisis, possibly one
of the worst for more than 35 years.
"We must not forget the Rangers who face constant
threats from poachers and the illegal charcoal trade
in Virunga to protect this endangered species for all
of us."
As well as the July killings, two silverback male gorillas
were shot dead earlier this year, while a female was
killed in May.
A census carried out in 2004 estimated that 380 mountain
gorillas, more than half of the world's population,
lived in the national park and surrounding Virunga volcanoes
regin.