The operation followed the recovery of a baby mountain gorilla last month by the Rwandan Police. The gorilla was seized in the Rwandan border town of Gisenyi , from traffickers believed to be coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Only 790 mountain gorillas left in wildCongo Wildlife Authorities have been working closely with Rwandan authorities to dismantle the baby gorilla trafficking ring that passes through eastern Congo for sale in Rwanda. Baby gorilla trafficking is considered to be one of the greatest threats to the survival of the critically endangered mountain gorillas, of which only 790 remain in the world.
From Rumangabo in Virunga National Park, the park director Emmanuel de Merode said: ‘The arrests are the outcome of a coordinated effort by Rwandan and Congolese law enforcement authorities. While we are pleased to have brought this group of traffickers to justice, we remain worried by what appears to be a significant and growing demand for baby mountain gorillas.'
Conservation successThe effort to protect the mountain gorilla populations in Congo, Rwanda and Uganda represent one of the greatest conservation successes in recent times, with a population that has more than doubled in the past 25 years. However, the threats remain high, both for the gorillas and for those who protect them. More than 130 Congolese rangers have died protecting Virunga National Park over that same period.
The recently rescued one-year-old female gorilla appears to be in good health, according to veterinarians from Mountain Gorilla Veterinarian Project (MGVP), partners of Virunga National Park. The infant will complete a 30-day quarantine at an orphan-care facility in Kinigi Rwanda before moving to Virunga's Senkwekwe Center to join the four orphan mountain gorillas Maisha, Kaboko, Ndeze and Ndakasi. Senkwekwe is home to the only orphan mountain gorillas in the world. http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/gorilla-trafficking.html#cr
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