Rhino species extinct due to African rangers selling out

By Rose Carver

Last updated: 06/10/13 5:08pm

Another one of Earth’s majestic creatures has bitten the dust forever.

The western black rhino, a subspecies of the black rhino, was declared extinct last month by The International Union for Conservation of Nature, as no sightings of the creature have been reported since 2006. The blame rests entirely on us humans, or more specifically, on the greed of humans.

The western black rhino, which lived for millennia in the southern part of Africa, was killed off by the ceaseless efforts of poachers. According to a May 7, 2013 article in Earth First News, the horns are desired because of a superstition in some countries that they can cure or prevent everything from cancer to a headache after a night of too much drinking.

According to the conservation site SavetheRhino.org, the rich elite in Asian countries have a high demand for the rhino horn as a symbol of wealth. The horn is ground up and used in a tonic drink. Traditional Chinese medicine has long used rhino horn to treat high fevers and convulsions, as well as clearing out toxins from alcohol consumption.

Affluent persons in Vietnam are the population who most frequently use rhino tonic as a hangover cure, but also to help treat cancer as cultural superstition recommends. According to TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, evidence strongly suggests the promotion of claims of the miracle curative powers of the rhino horn is simply a contemptuous marketing ploy to increase the profitability of the trade. It seems pretty ridiculous for an entire species to die due to a false superstition and the profit that can be made by playing off fear.

Continued

Congo Rangers locate first Mountain gorilla families in rebel-held territory

First good news from Virunga for a while

August 2012. Twenty park rangers and 15 local trackers that are searching for the missing mountain gorilla families in Congo's Virunga National Park have so far found four of the seven gorilla groups. Over two months of violent fighting between M23 rebels and Congolese armed forces in and around the park's Gorilla Sector has prevented rangers from monitoring the critically endangered mountain gorillas in Africa's oldest national park, causing concern for their health and safety.

Not seen for 3 months
Eight teams spread out through the forests from their base at Bukima Patrol Post searching for signs of the gorillas, some which have not been seen in over three months. Rangers were able to locate the Humba, Rugendo, and Munyaga families, and part of the Kabirizi family, which appears to have split. All seem healthy, but a more detailed assessment and individual counting will take place in the coming week.

Virunga National Park's Chief Warden Emmanuel de Merode reported, "While the security conditions remain precarious for our staff, the fact that we've been able to locate a significant number of the missing mountain gorillas is a strong sign of hope that we will be able to secure this critically important population through the current period of armed conflict".

The gorilla monitoring operation, which was scheduled to begin following authorization by government authorities and M23 rebel commanders, was postponed when the conflict escalated on 24 July, and intense combat in and around the park headquarters prevented the park's rangers from beginning the planned search.

"It was truly amazing to see the gorillas again after so long and so much fighting," said Innocent Mburanumwe, warden of the park's Gorilla Sector. "The gorillas circled us and several reached out to touch and smell us. They had not seen us for a very long time and seemed calm and curious."

Local trackers have been working with park rangers to locate the gorillas. These same trackers have been providing critical information on the welfare of the mountain gorillas throughout the ongoing conflict.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/gorilla-virunga-search.html

Unarmed forest ranger and 2 Critically Endangered gorillas killed by poachers

WWF mourns forest ranger murdered by poaching gang October 2011. A forest ranger has been killed and another seriously injured in a violent clash with gorilla poachers outside a national park in Cameroon, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The attack occurred on September 27 about 10 kilometres from Cameroon's border with Central African Republic.

Critically Endangered gorillas killed
The two rangers were on patrol near Lobéké National Park, where WWF provides critical support to forest rangers, when they discovered the carcasses of two critically endangered Western lowland gorillas in a forest camp, authorities say. Intending to take the perpetrators into custody, the rangers concealed themselves nearby while waiting for the poachers to return to the camp.

Seeing the rangers, a group of six or more men opened fire on the unarmed forest guards who both sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Ranger Jean Fils Mamendji, who was hit in the arm and shoulder, was able to escape.

Mamendji's partner Zomedel Pierre Achille, a 12-year veteran of the patrol, was hit in the chest and back. "I staggered with Achille some 300 metres but had to let go because the poachers were closing in on us and shooting simultaneously," Mamendji tearfully told WWF from his hospital bed.

Severely beaten
A rescue mission was dispatched and searched through the night for Achille. His body, stripped naked, was located the following day having been tied to a tree by the assailants. Evidence suggests that the victim was also severely beaten about his head and body, possibly with a rifle, before his death. He may also have sustained stab wounds.

"This brutal attack was a deliberate attempt to intimidate the government," said David Greer, WWF's African Great Ape Coordinator. "Poaching gangs are waging a war for Cameroon's forests and sending a message that they do not respect the law."

Retaliatory attacks by poachers against rangers have increased in recent months in response to increased law enforcement efforts by the government. Illegal activity has been particularly prevalent in Southeast Cameroon, where dedicated WWF teams are working harder than ever to support the government efforts. Victims of the violence have not been restricted to forest rangers. Earlier this year a group of six Baka pygmies were shot and wounded by poachers.

"Rangers are putting on a uniform every day to protect their wildlife, their forests and ultimately, the wellbeing of their communities from individuals who seek only to commit criminal acts such as trafficking protected species," Greer says.

"These brave men are going into battle underequipped and often without proper training. Law enforcement efforts at all levels need to be dramatically scaled up, especially in the typically weak judicial systems," Greer says. "That is where a criminal deterrent can be established that will not only save Africa's dwindling wildlife, but will also protect its people from lawless violence such as this."

Achille, who leaves behind five children, is the first ranger to lose his life in the line of duty in this area in recent years. His killers are being pursued by authorities from both Cameroon and Central African Republic.

"This is the saddest day in the history of conservation in Southeast Cameroon," said Basile Yapo, WWF's Cameroon Country Director. "It is a clear testimony of the danger we face in this landscape. This incident calls for firm action against poachers."

"As this case goes well beyond wildlife crime, we expect that our government partners will take the necessary steps to locate and bring these assailants to justice, while making a firm statement that criminal behavior will receive swift and severe punishment," Greer says. "Anything less would dishonor to the memory of our brave, fallen colleague."

Rampant poaching, often occurring within protected areas, is driving gorillas closer to extinction. Poaching and the illegal wildlife trade are also decimating forest elephants, which are being killed in large numbers for their ivory.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/cameroon-gorillas.html