6 Guards Murdered For Protecting The Gorillas
There are still people who die for protecting the gorillas and other wild animals on the planet. Unfortunately, it happened again, in this case in the legendary Virunga National Park, in Africa’s oldest protected region. These are five forest guards and a driver, who were killed in an ambush for protecting the mountain gorillas, the legendary primates that live in the impenetrable forests of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda.
These primates have been the protagonists of movies and many studies, and are one of the most interesting and remote wild populations in the world.
Virunga’s guards were established when this place was declared a park, but it wasn’t until Dian Fossey’s arrival that anti-poaching patrols began to be really effective, making security a risky activity for its protagonists.
Virunga: Dangerous for Animal Defenders
What is certain is that this is not the first time this has happened in this mythical national park. Over the past 20 years, more than 170 forest guards and other activists and employees have died.
Probably the best-known case is that of primatologist Dian Fossey, who was found dead in her tent with a knife wound.
In August 2017, five guards were murdered by the militia, but in this case, we are talking about a premeditated ambush and aimed exclusively at workers in this natural park, dedicated to protecting the gorillas and other species of animals in the park.
These guards are fully aware that their work can end their life, but despite this, they are committed to the cause and want to protect the gorillas and the natural paradise that shelters them. The park has a huge impact on the region’s wealth and future, which is why the guards are considered true heroes by the local population.
The danger of Virunga: hunting, wars and coltan
While poaching is one of the main causes of the park’s problems, it must be remembered that Virunga’s dormant volcanoes are the backdrop for one of the bloodiest wars mankind has ever seen.
The wars in Congo have already caused millions of deaths, being the military conflict that caused the most deaths after World War II. Unfortunately, these deaths are closely related to the control of coltan mines, a mineral used to make our cell phones and computers.
Poaching is increasingly controlled in this natural region, and in the case of gorillas and other primates, it is reduced to almost zero. Unfortunately, it remains a way of obtaining food for the guerrillas, through the so-called bushmeat.
Virunga Park Spokesperson Joel Malembe said the incident took place between Ishasha and Lulimba, near the Ugandan border. It is suspected that the “Mai Mai” self-defence groups were the perpetrators of the attack.
These deaths are the tip of the iceberg of the aforementioned war, which drives away many forms of financing for the natural park. In addition, oil exploration is another of the dangers that these forests suffer, to the point that Western companies have put pressure on appropriating parts of the park to exploit them economically.
