April 2020 Twelve rangers and five civilians people were ambushed and killed in Virunga National Park in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On 9th April 2018, five rangers and a driver were ambushed and killed, a sixth ranger was injured in the attack.
On the 11th May 2018. 25-year-old Ranger, Rachel Masika Baraka, was traveling with two British tourists and the driver when they were ambushed by an armed group while visiting Virunga. Rachel was killed, and the driver was injured. The tourists were kidnapped and released two days later
Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the oldest park in Africa and the most biodiverse place on earth. It’s home to some of the last remaining wild Mountain Gorillas in the world and other rare animals. There are only about a thousand left in the world, and about a third live in Virunga National Park.
When the 1994 Rwandan Genocide started, two million Rwandan refugees flooded the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including those who had participated in the genocide. This led to civil war in the Congo. Since then Virunga National Park has endured a seemingly never-ending series of crises.
Extreme poverty pushed people into the park for its natural resources especially firewood to cook and for heat, in the process destroying large sections of the park’s forests, Poaching small animals for bushmeat and the illegal but lucrative charcoal trade began to thrive.
In addition, multiple armed rebel groups such as M23 and Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR ) also took part in the charcoal trade and poached big mammals, decimating the wildlife in the park. Virunga National Park has also been a battleground for the rebel groups such as M23 who captured the area in 2012 forcing the Congolese army and the locals to evacuate out of the area.
Throughout these dangerous situations, the Rangers remain putting their lives on the line to protect Virunga National park and its wildlife.
Christian Shamavu Cinyunyi
Christian has been working at Virunga National Park for over twenty years, where he started as a guide and went on to become head of park’s Canine Department, he also has police training under his belt. Christian has had encounters with poachers and say’s “Poachers who takes a baby gorilla is very dangerous, they are organized with weapons. In order to take the baby gorilla they have to kill the male and female,”
Christian recounts how he rescued a baby lowland gorilla from poachers in 2011. He received information from a contact who informed him of a poacher from the rebel group FDLR, who wanted to sell a baby lowland gorilla. Christian informed his Chief Emmanuel De Merode and was given permission to rescue the gorilla.
Christian explains, “I had to pose as a buyer as it was the only possible way to get the gorilla back.” Christian went undercover in civilian clothes and posed as a buyer. Christian went with a two rangers in a hired vehicle with their weapons concealed under the car seat. They drove approximately 75 km to the poachers house in a remote village. Once at the village Christian left the car by himself without his weapons and went into the house. This was incredibly risky because the house was guarded by heavily armed FDLR Rebels. Once in the house, Christian was shown the baby gorilla stuffed in a backpack. They discussed the money and the poacher came with the gorilla to the car to exchange the gorilla for the money. When the poacher got in the car with the gorilla to make the exchange the ranger at the wheel locked the doors and abruptly drove off as it was not safe for them in the area. The poacher went to prison and the gorilla now lives at the Grace Rehabilitation and Education Center
When I asked Christian his hopes for the future he said to “Continue working at the parks Canine unit. So I train more dogs so they can protect the animals in all sectors of Virunga National park”
Christian trains two types of dogs, Bloodhounds which are used for tracking Poachers and possibly find injured rangers in the forest who have been shot by rebels and springer spaniels are used to find weapons.
John Ndarifite Iyamuremye
John has been working for over twenty one years at Virunga Park, John’s brother is also a ranger. Their father was also a ranger. John expresses that the “park is peaceful now” John still carries a gun for safety. In the past, John has dealt with poachers some have been armed and has been attacked by people cutting wood for charcoal. The gorillas are monitored daily to make sure each family member is safe. When M23 Rebels had captured the area, John remained working at Virunga National Park, going on his patrols to monitor the gorillas.
One of the darkest moments John had to deal with was in 2007 when five gorillas of the Rugendo family were murdered. The illegal charcoal trade was thought to be the motive, if the gorillas were not here they would be no need to protect the Park. Virunga Chief Warden Honore Mashagiro was charged but never convicted. The remaining Rugendo family is made up of eight members, including three silverbacks, one blackback, one adult female, one juvenile and one baby
when I asked John his hopes for the future for Virunga Park he said “for all sectors of the park to be safe, that’s why we are here”.
Gorilla Orphanage at the Senkwekwe Center
The only facility in the world for the critically endangered orphaned mountain gorillas. Home to three females and one male, each gorilla ended here through dramatic circumstances. First to arrive was a female called Ndakasi, who was still clinging to her dead mother when they found her she was part of the Rugendo family. They are taken care of by a team of dedicated rangers lead by Andre Bauma who has been working at Virunga National Park for 17 years and remained at the orphanage even when M23 rebels captured the area.
When I asked Andre if his work is hard he responded “It’s not hard when you work from the heart’.
Virunga National Park is of great beauty. It includes forests, savannas, swamps, active volcanoes, and the Rwenzori Mountains. And large mammals such as elephants, hippos, lowland gorillas, chimpanzees and mountain gorillas. With it’s beauty come the people who continue to exploit its resources. Virunga Park has come under siege from poachers, armed rebels and wealthy UK oil company Soco who wanted to do oil exploration in the park. Virunga National park is working hard to keep protecting all it wildlife. It once had the world’s largest hippo population estimated at 27,000 by 2005 there were only 350 and there was once 3,000 savannah elephants, this crashed to about 400 due to poaching.
Because of the bravery and dedication of the Virunga National Park rangers, conservationists, and concerned people around the world, there is now hope in Virunga Park. It is now making a comeback as tourists are returning and the diverse wildlife is making a recovery. Because of tourism revenue and private donors, jobs are being created, water purification systems for the villages, schools, and roads outside the park are being built.
It was a privilege to meet the humble rangers who represent the best of humanity. Additionally, it has been a life changing experience to be within a foot of the rare mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are big and strong yet so gentle and peaceful.
There are only about 1000 left in the world, our generation needs to protect these animals, all of the world’s animals and environment for the future generations.
Ways To Help
One of the reasons I write this blog is to bring awareness to how our wildlife is being pushed to extinction and how the environment is being destroyed. There are a small number of people trying to prevent this from happening, but they cannot do it alone. They need our help.
Links to help or visit Virunga National Park:
Virunga.org and Visitvirunga.org
Travel Blog
I have always wanted to see mountain gorillas in the wild, and after watching the documentary Virunga, I decided I had to go. I also wanted to meet the rangers that do one of the most dangerous jobs to protect the Virunga and its wildlife.
The best way to get there was through Kigali, Rwanda which has to be one of the cleanest cities I have ever been to.
I was welcomed at the airport by John, the manager of Step Town Motel where I was staying overnight. The room was clean, comfortable, and the hotel is perched high up, so there was a beautiful view of the city. John was very friendly and helpful, he even lent me some money until I had managed to get to ATM.
I spent the day visiting the Genocide Memorial, which walks you through the history of the horrific genocide. The one room that stood out to me was the children’s room. There is a wall filled with photographs of children with their name, age (very young) and how they were brutally killed.
Its very easy and inexpensive getting around kigali by motorbike taxis, which are everywhere.
In the evening I went to a restaurant called Khana Khazana at johns recommendation, it was a beautiful restaurant but way overpriced, I would not pay this much for a meal at any New York City restaurant.
In the evening I went to a restaurant called Khana Khazana at johns recommendation, it was a beautiful restaurant but way overpriced, I would not pay this much for a meal at any New York City restaurant.
The drive to Virunga takes you through beautiful lush green scenery.
I was able to visit the Gorilla Orphanage at the Senkwekwe Center. The gorillas are viewed from a platform outside the enclosure.
I had the pleasure of meeting head caretaker Andre Bauma, who was very humble.
I Stayed at Bukima Tented Camp, which is the main starting point for gorilla tracking. There were six tents all spaced out so plenty of privacy.
It was an early start to look find the gorillas, I was placed in a group of two other solo travellers, which was a perfect size. John Ndarifite Iyamuremye was our lead ranger on our search for the gorillas, it was interesting talking to him about his experiences when rebels and poachers came to the park.
it took us about an hour of walking to locate the gorillas. You only get one hour with them, and you wear masks to protect the gorillas from our germs. It was quite surreal to be in such close proximity to such big, strong and rare animals with no barriers between us. The gorillas did not seem to react to our presence apart from the baby that was curious and came within a foot of us.
After Lunch I asked John to take me to a village that was close by.
The kids from the village were curious to see a foreigner, but very shy when it came to taking photos, except for this one young girl, who followered me around and loved posing for photos.
At night the staff built a small fire, which was great to sit around and chat at night . On a clear night, you can see the red glow from the volcano.
The wooden bikes know as Chukudu are common and unique to the Congo, only saw men and boys using them.
