Comments | anthropologist: " Congo rebels seize gorillas habitat "

boudiccaswrath in anthropologist

" Congo rebels seize gorillas habitat "

Oct 07, 2007 16:03

Their entire case has been heartbreaking; and it keeps getting worse and worse.

"Shelling and heavy gunfire could be heard from the headquarters of the Virunga National Park, and rangers were forced to flee over the weekend, said the international conservation group WildlifeDirect.

Only 700 mountain gorillas exist in the world, of which more than ( Read more... )

conservation, gorillas, africa, rebels

Comments 6

gaelfarce October 7 2007, 20:30:26 UTC

I'm thinking an Airlift. It has gotten to the point that conservation needs to turn into direct intervention. Genetic Imperialism it may be but with this and the Ebola infections it has become a zero sum game for either side. Somehow I don't see anyone authorizing or condoning genocide in the area.

(NG article, I know NG isn't the best but it's a reference: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/04/0404_050404_ebolagorilla.html )

kenosis October 7 2007, 21:13:12 UTC

With regard to the "their entire case has been heartbreaking", who's the "their" - the gorillas or the Congolese?

saxface October 7 2007, 21:22:06 UTC

That's what crossed my mind as well.

Ha, ha; I was waiting for you to comment... boudiccaswrath October 7 2007, 21:22:44 UTC

The inspiration for getting me to write that post would be the gorillas.

No, I do not think that the issue is simply one-sided with the "evil-bad" rebels and/or poachers decimating one of the world's last remaining wild gorilla populations; but I will admit to my soft spot for animals and their abuse as the first sentiment to hit me after reading it.

quasilover October 7 2007, 21:32:25 UTC

The actions against poachers in the Virunga area need to be supported actively. After reading the book by Dian Fossey I am equally worried about the gorillas and the genocide. :(

boudiccaswrath October 7 2007, 21:42:34 UTC

The gorilla conservation question in of itself is a quagmire. Yes, poachers should be cracked down on, but the are issues beyond that which still need to be addressed. Ebola is wiping out large numbers of gorillas, too. Economic, political (across several countries; different groups) and social (gorilla meat as sustenance, or the question of who are we {westerners} to tell others {various African cultures} that it is not culturally acceptable to eat primates) issues make the problem very complex.