News from Kahuzi-Biega

On 19 May 2000, the Kahuzi-Biega rangers were returned their arms and resumed patrolling. The ranger posts Mugaba and Tshibati were re-manned after this. Unfortunately, the Tshivanga post was attacked by armed rebels on the night of 17 June. One ranger was injured. In spite of this, park staff continued to control this part of the park. However, they have stopped spending the night at the post.
Thanks to the work of the rangers, no more gorillas were killed by poachers in June. The team working on the illegal live animal trade succeeded in confiscating one gorilla baby, one baboon and one red-tailed monkey in Bukavu. Unfortunately, the gorilla baby Bitorwa has since died, probably due to an infection.
In June, a survey was begun of gorillas and elephants in the mountain part of the park, as it was not clear how many animals had survived the wars. In 1996, the number of gorillas had still been 245-270. The survey team was headed by the Congolese biologist Omari Ilambu and accompanied by more than 50 soldiers. They found 130 gorillas (a few months ago, only 70 surviving gorillas had been estimated), but not one elephant was left.
Park staff started to act against illegal land utilisation in the corridor connecting the two parts of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park after the Governor had annulled the 11 certificates of occupation in May. They expelled all illegal occupants, burned charcoal ovens and confiscated cattle grazing in the park. Unfortunately, certain criminal government employees tried to intimidate and menace the park staff.
Meanwhile, approximately 10% of the park's area is under the control of the guards again.

New census in 2004

Attack at a Meeting

During an Interahamwe attack at a meeting, 10 people died on 5 September and many people were injured, some of them seriously. Contrary to first media reports, no members of the park staff were among the dead. The rebels took five hostages whom they set free close to Kalonge. The hostages reported that the attackers belonged to the "Army for the Liberation of Rwanda".
The attack took place on the last day of a meeting between park staff, government representatives, traditional chiefs and representatives of the local population. The aim of the negotiations was to develop solutions for the conservation of the severely threatened corridor between the mountain and the lowland sector of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park.

Kahuzi-Biega overview

Homepage