War in Congo
Gorillas are facing a new and terrible threat
They’ve already survived the threats of disease and destruction. Now they are threatened by war.
At the end of January, fighters from the M23 militia group took control of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is a major city close to our projects in Walikale, Itombwe and Kahuzi-Biega.
We’ve been hearing terrifying reports from other organizations in the DRC. Their rangers have had their vehicles, computers and communications equipment stolen by armed militias. We can only hope this has not happened to our rangers. Which makes it even more urgent that we reach all our projects as quickly as we possibly can.
Unless we can protect gorillas right now, this conflict could spell the end for all gorillas across a huge area of the DRC.
We still have staff unaccounted for across the DRC
As soon as the militia fighters arrived in Goma, they immediately shut down the internet, the telephone system, the radio and the television station.
Even more worrying is the fact that since that time we’ve had little or no information about what is happening to our projects in the area.
That means we have no idea if our rangers and their families are safe. Nor do we know what is happening to the precious gorillas they are protecting.
And what little we do know is very worrying indeed. There are large numbers of fighters in the area around Goma. They’re likely to be moving west to the areas where valuable minerals such as coltan and gold can be found.
With no food supplies available, bushmeat hunting will rise
At the same time, Congolese government forces are retreating in the face of the militias’ advance. With no food supplies available, bushmeat hunting will rise.
Many families have been running for their lives as M23 fighters advance. While people who had previously fled from the DRC into Rwanda and Uganda are also now returning in large numbers.
All of these extra people mean there are many more mouths to feed. With supplies still severely disrupted by the conflict, they too are likely to be forced to rely on bushmeat to survive.
And all these people on the move means deadly Mpox is on the rise again. Health centres have been attacked, forcing staff and patients to flee.
All of this means gorillas could be in terrible danger right now.
We simply cannot afford to lose a single one of these wonderful animals.
That is why we are asking for your support. You’re already one of the gorillas’ staunchest allies, but they urgently need your help. Will you please make a donation to:
- Buy satellite phones to help us find out what is happening at our six projects in the area affected by the fighting, and to make sure that our rangers and their families are safe and have food?
- Establish secure connection to a satellite service so that we can maintain communications with them?
- Provide rugged motorbikes, vehicles and fuel to help our staff in the area reach the projects and help co-ordinate our efforts to protect gorillas?
- Keep up our efforts to stop Mpox from killing gorillas?
- Push on with all our lifesaving work to save gorillas from extinction, even in these terribly difficult conditions?
This will not be easy
But our staff are ready and willing to take the risk, because it will save gorillas’ lives. All they need is the right equipment. Will you help to make sure they get it?
We know such journeys can be done. Just before the M23 fighters arrived in Goma, our colleague Henry Cirhuza risked his life to make a dangerous 120 mile motorcycle round trip to Uganda to withdraw cash to enable our workers to buy food for their families while the markets in Goma were still open.
Now Henry and his colleagues need to make much longer journeys to our projects to check that rangers – and gorillas – are safe. As you can see from the map, they’ll be travelling hundreds if not thousands of miles. And they’ll have to use the back roads to avoid militia checkpoints and robbers, which will make the challenge they face even more threatening.
Please support us today
The threat of war puts gorillas’ chances of survival in extreme doubt. The conflict around Goma could easily undo more than 40 years of painstaking conservation work – and leave gorillas on the very brink of extinction once more. Please, if you haven’t already done so, make a donation today.
