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Luanne Cadd / Virunga National Park
A rescued 9-month-old gorilla is fed at Virunga National Park's Gorilla Orphan Sactuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Two orphaned baby gorillas rescued in Congo were being cared for Tuesday by national park staff who fear their plight might signal a new escalation of wildlife smuggling by rebel groups fighting each other and Congo's army.
"In the areas where rebel activity has escalated, poaching has also escalated," LuAnne Cadd, a spokeswoman for Virunga National Park, told NBC News.
It's not just gorillas, either. "Elephant poaching has increased in Virunga's central sector," Cadd said.
The rescued infants — 4- and 9-month-old females — are Grauer's gorillas, a species also known as eastern lowland gorillas and closely related to the more famous mountain gorillas.
"Baby gorilla trafficking is terribly damaging for endangered gorilla populations because many members of the gorilla's family will probably have been killed to obtain the infant," Emmanuel de Merode, director of Virunga National Park, said in a statement.
As for Virunga's mountain gorillas, Cadd said it is not known how they're faring. "We haven't been able to monitor this area yet," she said.
Luanne Cadd / Virunga National Park
The 4-month-old gorilla rescued in the Democratic Republic of Congo opens wide for feeding time at Virunga National Park's Gorilla Orphan Sactuary.
The new rescues raises to 10 the number of Grauer's gorilla orphans confiscated in Congo over the last four years, Virunga National Park said.
The 9-month-old was turned over to Virunga on Sept. 13 by a local conservation group, which said it got the infant from an armed group.
The 4-month-old was rescued on Sept. 20 during a sting operation that led to the arrest of two men, who said they acquired the gorilla in an area where armed groups are vying for control over mines. Those men face trial and, possibly, a life sentence if convicted.
NBC News reported last year how baby gorillas can demand tens of thousands of dollars on the international black market,.
Aug. 8, 2011: A baby mountain gorilla is safe with Rwandan authorities after they rescued the endangered animal from poachers. TODAY.com's Dara Brown reports.
The total population of Grauer's gorillas, which exist only in eastern Congo, is estimated at fewer than 4,000 — down from an estimated 17,000 in 1995.
Protecting Virunga's wildlife has been deadly: 11 rangers were killed last year in armed confrontations, while so far this year one has been killed and several wounded.
Related: Baby gorilla on black market for $40,000 is rescued
For now, the infants will remain at Virunga's orphan gorilla sanctuary during a three-month quarantine period.
"The two gorillas showed some interest in each other when they first met," Cadd wrote in a Virunga blogpost, "but for the older gorilla, it seems as if she considers the younger one a competition for food and milk, often trying to grab the milk bottle or banana from the younger gorilla, and even throwing a tantrum once when she didn’t get a bottle too.
"The most likely plan" will be to move them to a Congo sanctuary that already has 13 Grauer's gorillas, Cadd said.
"There has been talk about releasing those gorillas into the wild eventually," she said, but added that "it's a bit controversial" due to the uncertainty of their fate back in the wild.
Oil a blessing or curse?
The rescues come as Congo announced that the British firm SOCO has been authorized to explore for oil in Virunga National Park.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in the 1970s, the park is the only place on Earth that boasts all three African great apes in addition to elephants, buffalo, hippos, antelopes, lions, leopards and smaller animals and birds.
The area includes Lake Edward, one of the Central African great lakes used by some 40,000 fishermen.
Hydrocarbons Minister Crispin Atama Tabe told The Associated Press that oil exploitation could help bring security to volatile east Congo.
Mining of the region's massive mineral riches, however, has had the opposite effect with armed groups vying for control.
Moreover, Congo's environment ministry last year suspended oil exploration in an area of Virunga where more than 200 gorillas live. Environment Minister Bavo Nsamputu said he was unable to comment on Monday's news as he had been abroad.
Park officials say Congo's Nature Conservation law protects national parks from any kind of exploitation. That persuaded the French oil group Total to promise last year that it would not exploit the one-third of its concession that falls in Virunga.
SOCO, with 58 percent of its concession in Virunga, argues the law allows "geological research for scientific purposes" and cites
exemptions for "research work, such as sampling materials, digging, excavations, surveying, and all other work that may change the look of the land or vegetation."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
Honestly, who has a pet gorilla? What are you going to do, teach it to play chess?
Gorillas endangered by guerrillas. Go figure.
As an amateur in Primatology, I've been watching the stories of gorilla, chimpanzee, and bonobo killing in the central African countries. And I've tried, too, to take an understanding approach to the close relationship between the non-Human apes and Human.
For many Black Africans, ape meat has always been a traditional feast. For hundreds, no doubt, thousands of years, the apes have been hunted for food. It is true too, that ape parts are used in local sorcery and witchcraft--e.g. non-traditional medicines. And until modern times, that's the way it has been. After all, there were apes in the millions, and they were hunted with Stone Age tools, spears, bow and arrow, traps.
But this is happening here and now, in the 21st Century, and with automatic rifles. And there is an increase in animals taken, thus because of the exponential increase in the Human population. More Humans = more apes for food, etc.
Also, zoos and collectors outside of the African Continent are after apes. A baby gorilla, chimp, or bonobo is taken for sale, after the adult female is killed and sold for meat. Often the hunters must kill an entire ape group in order to get at the baby ape.
The stories of increased killing and capture of apes are sad. And for every baby ape that is intercepted by authorities, remember that perhaps as many as 20 do not get intercepted. And too, at least 100 adult apes have been killed for every 20 babies taken.
In such poorly run countries, made up of dozens of tribes, and growing.....well, I don't know where it will all lead. It may be that someday only zoos and collections will have apes--no wild apes.
What the hell is wrong with the human race? We are killing off the natural resources and animal life in the name of greed. At least the gorillas got saved even though their habitat is getting ruined with oil drilling.
"...many members of the gorilla's family will probably have been killed to obtain the infant..."
When you mess with one you mess with all of 'em. The only thing is; what's so special? Is there a culture that eats their toenails?
Bless the people in this world who take care of the animals. Thank God for their work.
These people need to be stopped.
SOCO, with 58 percent of its concession in Virunga, argues the law allows "geological research for scientific purposes" and cites exemptions for "research work, such as sampling materials, digging, excavations, surveying, and all other work that may change the look of the land or vegetation."
And then what?
This makes my heart hurt. God Almighty. Just like the Elephant and Rhino tusks. So sad!
What's wrong with mankind! we're all doomed people!
know it all 1...
"How can we be so arrogant? The planet is, was, and always will be stronger than us.
We can't destroy it; if we overstep the mark, the planet will simply erase us from its surface and carry on existing.
Why don't they start talking about not letting the planet destroy us?
Because "Saving the planet" gives a sense of power, action and nobility.
Whereas "not letting the planet destroy us" might lead us to feelings of despair and impotence, and to a realisation of just how very limited our capabilities are.
Let’s be humble. Let’s respect Mother Earth because if She becomes furious with our behavior, we are in trouble." Paulo Coelho
know it all 1... P.S. "Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age 18. Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions."
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." Albert Einstein
Michelle's baby pictures?
tom-2783901
Such an ignorant statement from an ignorant person.
I am convinced that MSN, Yahoo, and AOL in particular display stories like this just to evoke ignorant comments from ignorant people. Tom's response is not just ignorant, but predictably ignorant.
It's a joke and so are you!
Tom you are one sick individual! God help you!
Man or Mankind are not good caretakers of the Earth. Why? Because they exploit it for greed and profit, very rarely give consideration for the damage that has been done!
These poachers and animal killers and kidnappers should be caught and hanged in public squares so that all can see what happens to those who would kill animals for their horns, their tusks, their offspring to sell to others who have no regard for life! It would do my heart good to watch them hang by the neck until dead! I also extend that sentiment to those who would kill off the wolf packs out in my own West. They were here First! It is THEIR land, not ours! Leave them alone to live and roam the wilds they have inhabited for centuries. Those who would kill off the wolves are butchers and have no concept of the imbalance in nature they will cause by their insensitivity and callous disregard for other life forms. Personally, I think that those who would kill off every wolf they encounter should be shot!
Well get out there with your badass and take care of business then Rambo.
Dave,
Hanging for kidnapping an animal? Looks like evrytime you go to a zoo you are encouraging this act. These men will probably get life in prison- Fair ruling. Execution seems a little overboard don't you think?
Alex, people need to be made an example of, if these people are given prison time and then they are set free they will just go and kill again, the only way to solve that problem is to eliminate it, permanently . you obviously side with the poachers to some degree.
Sandra,
I have no blood lust nor a desire to posses a wild animal. I think these acts are heinous and deserve LIFE in prison. Execution seems to be an unfair punishment. Many of these poachers are born into a life of poverty with absolutely no opportunity to lift themselves out of their social class. Poaching seems to them to be the best way to provide for their family. This is not an excuse just a fact that is relevant to determining a punishment.
soco is saying that it is research for scientific purposes. isn't that the same excuse the japanese use for killing whales?
By chance was Artie Lange among the two saved?
If the Obama's had a son.
He wouldn't be as dumb as you probably.
It is shameful that the gorillas are being so mercilessly killed. Is it not possible for all remaining gorillas to be put into sanctuaries where they could roam freely but would be protected by heavy fencing of smaller areas, TV cameras, and armed guards? Whatever the cost, it would be worth it to save remaining gorilla populations.
The gorillas, elephants, and rhinos are so precious. It is horrific that poachers are able to kill them.
It's high time we aim our drone strikes at these poachers, and put an end to this.
I love how Africans take the killing of their precious endangered species seriously over there. They put people in prison for life, or shoot them down in their tracks. I'm sorry but I think that's awesome. Call me an animal fantaic, but I don't see a humans life anymore imortant then a gorilla or a tiger, a big beautiful animal that has every right to be here and live there life like you or me. Especially for senseless killing such as a body part or the poor things off spring. Yes I get cattle and what not, that's different, I don't like it, but there are millions of them and half of them are raised just for meat and what not (could be a bit of a double standard, but some of you will know what I am getting at) People in the congo that care for their wildlife like their own family are amazing people.
Soon there will be an overpopulation of humans and no wild animals.
There already is an overpopulation of humans...we are THERE!
I wonder what these jackass poachers are going to do after they wipe out a species?
The world community needs to do something to bring Africa out of the dark ages finally. I have thought about this three way until Sunday and am convinced we, the WORLD community, needs to disarm these militias. Either surrender your weapons or be killed - simple as that. We have advanced enough technology and troops to be able to do this. This needless slaughter of animals and people has to end. If unarmed they will find it much more difficult to cause the destruction that they do. This would be a big endevor but as countries became less and less armed it will be an easier task. And the flip side would be to build infrastructure for them (hospitals, roads, water purification via solar power, etc...) through their oil revenue and world financial assistance. This has to be a world function/cooperation though. With the US, Russia, Britian, and China, leading and agreeing to assist in as peaceful way as possible - no profits or contracts for ANY outside countries (which would kill China huh?) What do you all think? Pie in the sky? Do-able?
You carry a story like this but NO stories on the obama cover-up /lies about the Lybia Embassy attack. I'll tell you. To keep the terrible economy and the mishaps of Obama and his administration off of the front page. Fox news yesterday's headline was on the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper bscktracking to take the blame for the Obama administration's changing narrative on the U.S. Consulate attack in Libya, as spokesman says officials based initial comments on intelligence officials' guidance. And today’s head line is that Rep. King from NY calls for the resignation of Ambassador Rice. Where are you,,,,,and one of the many things obama forget is that the wheel is round and as Rev. Wright said "the chickens have come to roost".......
I wish Humans were about to be extinct,
I will never donate another Dime to help STARVING Humans in Africa
EARTH needs a virus soon to get rid of its worst enemy
MANKIND