UPDATE: Arrests made over mountain gorilla death
24th June 2011
UPDATED 24.06.2011: Three men have been arrested for killing an endangered mountain gorilla who was found dead last week in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
UPDATE: Friday 24 June
The male gorilla, named Mizano, was discovered by Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA) trackers on June 17 in the Bujengwe area of the Park. Officials say that Mizano was speared through the shoulders and neck by poachers who had encountered the gorilla in the park whilst looking for antelope.
Officials say that an altercation may have occurred between the gorilla and the poachers’ hunting dogs.
Arrests were made in a nearby town after police sniffer dogs traced the men's scent from the scene. Authorities also collected evidence from the suspects' home which further indicates their involvement in the incident, officials say. Injured hunting dogs which were spotted by trackers near the scene were also discovered at the suspects' home.
The gorilla was part of the Habinyanja family, one of the first groups to make the Buhoma area of the Park their home. Although the group had become habituated to the presence of humans for tourism and research, wild gorillas can often come into conflict with humans when feeling threatened.
According to the most recent census numbers, there are currently only 786 mountain gorillas remaining in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
UWA have been working with district governments, local leaders and community members in the area where the incident occurred to prevent poaching and other illegal activities from repeating.
UPDATE: Wednesday 22 June
A mountain gorilla named Mizano was discovered dead last week by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Bujengwe.
Mizano, who was part of the Habinyanja family – one of the first groups to make the Buhoma area their home – was found dead on Friday 17th June.
Initial reports suspected that Mizano was killed by poachers who were in the forest targeting small antelopes, but specific circumstances of the death are yet to be released by UWA following a necropsy.
It is unknown whether the killing was accidental, in self defence or intentional. There have been reports of an arrest made following the incident but this has still to be confirmed.
Meetings between the UWA, district officials and the local community have been set up discussing how vigilance towards poaching and other illegal activities can be improved.
The International Gorilla Conservation Programme's (IGCP) representative in Uganda, Stephen Asuma, told the IGCP that community leaders and government agencies are participating actively in the investigation.
“Everyone is very concerned about this incident, which is a testimony to the value that local communities and government alike place on these animals,” Asuma said.
“While there are several programs to share revenue from mountain gorilla tourism with communities around protected areas, we still have poaching for small antelopes happening in the park. We will continue to work with communities and UWA to find win-win situations for conservation of mountain gorillas and communities.”
Mizano's death carries echoes of previous incidents, when four mountain gorillas were killed by poachers on the Ruhija side of the park in the early 1990s, and in 2002 an attempted poaching operation was uncovered when concerned community members informed UWA in advance.
Source: International Gorilla Conservation Programme
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