issue 45 spring 2013 the gorilla organization Ranger death shatters

Letter from the Congo’s fragile peace Virungas

Though peace may have officially Though we may have recently lost returned to eastern DR Congo, the yet another brave ranger in the fight first few weeks of 2014 have seen to safeguard our country’s wonderful rangers patrolling the Virunga wildlife, I feel I am now able to write to National Park subjected to some of you more in hope than despair. the worst violence in recent memory. Now the fighting Towards the end of last year, that gripped Goma violent battles between government has come to an end, forces and soldiers of the M23 rebel we are picking up group rocked the region. Fighting the pieces and even took place within the Virunga getting back to National Park, home to around half work. Like all the world’s remaining mountain human families gorillas. And, while the rebels here, the Kabirizi surrendered in time for the people gorilla group of Goma to enjoy a relatively quiet suffered during the Christmas, a fatal attack in January insecurity. They had of this year served to highlight once no rangers to protect again that peace cannot be taken them, and the noise and stress for granted. would have deeply troubled them all, The attack took place just Rangers work to keep the peace in Congo’s recent humanitarian crisis even the strong silverback who gives 10km north of Goma, in the very the group their name. area that saw the worst of the 2013 the forest closest to the gorilla sector, Organization’s Resource Centre is Thankfully, I have seen for fighting. A ranger patrol, working others remain more reluctant to see located. Programme Manager for myself that Kabirizi and the 37 gorillas to secure an important road running in such tragic events signs of better the country, Henry Cirhuza, lived he leads are thriving once again. alongside the National Park, was things to come. through some of the worst fighting, Perhaps one day soon, tourists will ambushed by members of the Michael Kavanagh, Bloom- at one point hiding with his children be lucky enough to see these amazing FDLR militia, an illegal movement berg’s correspondent in DR Congo, under the bed as mortars exploded animals at rest and at play. Such a believed to include perpetrators of has seen such hopes dashed before. just yards from the family home. development would transform the lives the 1994 Rwandan genocide among Speaking to Digit News, he noted Like most people, he’s happy peace of many. its numbers. One ranger, a father of that, even if there have been some has returned, though he’s more But for now, we are thankful that five called Mberabagabo, was shot improvements in general security, realistic than optimistic. the new hydroelectric dam at Rutshuru and killed, another two rangers were it’s too early to predict how things “We are currently enjoying is operational. Here in Goma, as well seriously injured and two rebels also will develop. the benefits of peace. The price as in the villages around the park, we lost their lives. “We may see a window for of food has gone down and will have a new and reliable source of This most recent fatality takes some uptick in tourism like we hopefully carry on falling as those electricity. We now go back to work the number of park rangers killed in saw in 2011 and the beginning of who fled the fighting return to their more determined than ever to build a the line of duty since the beginning 2012,” he said. “However, I do home villages and start growing better future for our children and for of the current conflict to 140. In think there will be more military crops again,” he says. gorillas such as the majestic Kabirizi. most cases, the victims left behind operations eventually; perhaps “But will it last? You must wives and young children. groups like FDLR fleeing to the remember that the M23 was just one While some reports have park. I wish I could say all was clear of 30 armed groups in Eastern Congo. suggested this and other recent attacks but history over the past decade There needs to be the political will to Goma, DR Congo have been backlashes motivated by suggests otherwise.” work for real, lasting peace, so for the gains made by ranger patrols, Such uncertainty is nothing now, I can only dream of the day the specifically in their ongoing fight to new to the people of DR Congo, and young people here are too busy in Volunteer Special prevent militia and charcoal gangs certainly not to the long-suffering the fields or working on new roads Learn about the local stars from regaining control of the part of citizens of Goma, where the Gorilla to pick up weapons to fight.” making a real difference and find out how you can play your part in saving gorillas. (p.2) www.gorillas.org 1 ...INTERNATIONAL NEWS...INTERNATIONAL NEWS...INTERNATIONAL NEWS...

Gearing up for the Gorilla Run Few people take part in just one our support to such a worthwhile Great Gorilla Run. Once they’ve and fun event.” pulled on a full gorilla suit and felt The Great Gorilla Run the wind in their fur as they race 2014 will take place on Saturday across Tower Bridge, most are 20 September. Registration keen to repeat the experience and is now open, so visit www. do even more to help save gorillas greatgorillarun.org to sign up in the wild from extinction. for the most fun event for Phred Newbury makes friends after her first gorilla trek in Rwanda So, just as with the past conservation taking place and (below) hosting inspirational art exhibitions 10 years, this September will anywhere in the world. see dozens of returning runners await race patron Bill Oddie’s starting pistol for GGR14. Among those tackling the 7km Local help for a of urban jungle will be a team from Props & Frocks in Essex. The fancy dress shop has kindly offered to support this year’s global issue event, storing and distributing hundreds of gorilla suits between Great apes need great supporters. generations may not be so lucky, now and the big day. And few come greater than Regional she promptly signed up to help “We ran the Great Gorilla Volunteers such as Phred Newbury, spread the word about their plight Run two years ago, and it’s an a long-standing supporter of the any way she could. experience I’ll never forget,” Gorilla Organization who hosts “Many fundraising events take says company manager Ellis regular fundraising events across the place in London, for instance, the Wiseman. “So we’re delighted Midlands and Cotswolds area. fantastic annual Great Gorilla Run,” to be returning and it’s a real Phred’s love for mountain Phred explains. privilege to be able to offer gorillas was born out of a life- “However, for people who changing trip she took to Rwanda find it difficult to get to the capital, back in 1993. Here, trekking it’s important to get the message plight of gorillas first hand.” alongside Ian Redmond, she came out in other areas and I thought And indeed they are. Through 7km in a full gorilla face-to-face with the critically- that people may be more inclined events such as swimathons, film suit too easy? endangered apes. Fearing future to help if they heard about the screenings, illustrated lectures and art exhibitions (left), Phred The events team also have has raised thousands of pounds to Bupa London 10k places up support vital conservation projects for grabs, and would love to across central Africa. Now, in her hear from anyone running 20th year as a regional fundraising the London Marathon. Get star, she’s passing on her tips on how your running shoes on and to follow in her footsteps and bring help primates in peril! the message of gorilla conservation to your local community. ‘gorilla beings’ and human beings “Being a Regional Volunteer who, through no fault of their own, has many benefits, including need and deserve our help.” meeting a lot of wonderful people To read Phred’s guide to being who you would not otherwise a Regional Volunteer for the Gorilla have met, but best of all you will Organization, visit www.gorillas. be doing something positive for org/_Regional_Volunteers Hooray, it’s a Banana Bank Holiday! This summer, things are going to the day itself. As well as enjoying an helping the gorillas in their hour of get more than a little fruity. That’s extra dose of potassium in their diet, need,” says Rachel Deer, the Gorilla because The Gorilla Organization participants will have the chance to Organization’s Events Manager. “So, has declared Tuesday 1st July the raise money through sponsorship, with get friends, family and colleagues first-ever Banana Bank Holiday! Pip all funds going towards supporting involved and see how inventive you pip hooray! a range of innovative conservation can get!” In support of their furry cousins and development projects aimed at To register for Banana Bank in the forest, people up and down the securing the survival of critically- Holiday, or for fundraising ideas, country will be setting themselves endangered gorillas. including inventive banana-themed the challenge of including banana “Banana Bank Holiday is recipes, get in touch with the events 30,000 bananas piled high in in every meal and snack they eat on simple, fun and a great way of team on [email protected] London’s Trafalgar Square

2 ...INTERNATIONAL NEWS...INTERNATIONAL NEWS...INTERNATIONAL NEWS...

Silverback Tsongo missing on Mount T

The Gorilla Organization’s team on mate Mwasanyinya is withdrawn Mount Tshiaberimu, in eastern DR and eating very little, while the Congo, have resigned themselves silverback’s two young sons, to the fact they may never see Mukokya and Kambula, are also charismatic silverback Tsongo showing clear signs of agitation. alive again. Though there is another silverback The dominant male, who was on the mountain, a gorilla named head of one of just two families Katsavara, he has his own mate, left on what is known locally as in addition to a six-month-old ‘The Mountain of Spirits’ vanished infant of his own to care for, at the end of the year. His shock leaving the Tsongo group alone disappearance sparked a massive and vulnerable. search, with Project Manager Jean- Ian Redmond, Gorilla Claude Kyungu leading his team of Organization Chairman and world- rangers deep into the forests in the renowned expert in great ape hope of finding Tsongo alive. behaviour, explains that it’s very rare While the team were for a gorilla family to be left without unsuccessful in their search for the a dominant male to lead them, and missing gorilla, they did find around rarer still for them to remain this way 200 snares in the area where he for more than a few weeks. disappeared, highlighting the ongoing “The situation at Mount T threat posed by poachers. is both tragic and, in terms of Mukokya (right) with brother Kambula are without their father “In the past 10 years I have gorilla behaviour, highly unusual,” seen the number of gorillas shrink he explains. isolated examples of female gorillas all eyes, then, are on Mukokya. The from 20 to just a handful,” Jean- “However large or small, assuming leadership roles, albeit young gorilla is already a symbol of Claude says. “Their habitat is being a gorilla family needs a leader. on a temporary basis, so this could hope for the local communities. Each decimated by rebel groups fighting Without one, they tend to suffer happen here, or else the blackback, year, a local group known as Sagot in the area and by desperately poor from general feelings of stress and Mukokya, could be required to or Solidarity of Friends of Mountain poachers, who come to the forest in insecurity and are vulnerable to the grow up fast and step into Tsongo’s Gorillas Tshiaberimu, mark search of food to survive.” threats posed by humans or indeed formidable shoes.” International Women’s Day with the Since Tsongo’s disappear- from other silverbacks hoping With Mount T’s gorillas Mukokya Parade. Now, even more ance, rangers have noted that his to muscle in. I’ve known a few, teetering on the brink of extinction, rests on his young shoulders. Poaching part of rhythm of life in Virungas

“In the heart of central Africa, so have to spend the bulk of their time Just as snare numbers soar high up that you shiver more than removing potentially lethal snares when times are toughest, so too do you sweat, are great, old volcanoes from the forest floor. numbers drop when things improve. towering up almost 15,000 feet and The latest statistics from “In April, May and June, there is a nearly covered with rich, green the Volcanoes National Park in decrease in snares because in these rainforest – the Virungas!” Rwanda illustrate the sheer scale three months, many people are Little has changed since Dian of the rangers’ job. According to busy harvesting their crops,” says Fossey wrote this description of these figures, rangers found and Emmanuel. “This means that there the place where she was to make destroyed an average of 150 snares is enough food for everyone, and her name as a primatology pioneer. a month over the course of 2013, an also that many families have extra The slopes of the three volcanoes increase on the previous year. crops they can sell.” are still as lush and the forests still Looked at more closely, the A park ranger dismantles a snare The continued reliance on as biodiverse. Frustratingly, just numbers also show how poaching the forests of the Virungas for as Dian raged against the threat is part of the rhythm of life in this fluctuating according to season. food, whether it’s to eat or to sell, posed by widespread poaching, part of Africa, with the number of Emmanuel Bugingo, the emphasises the importance of so too do today’s conservationists snares being put down by poachers Gorilla Organization’s Programme development projects aimed at Manager in Rwanda, explains: “In giving people the chance to make Snares removed in VNP in 2013 by month November, for example, there is an a viable living in other ways. The 300 increase in snares because in that Gorilla Organization’s Sustainable 250 period, people are waiting for their Farming Project does just this, 200 crops to mature. Since many have with hundreds of families having no food in their homes, they look to seized the opportunity to break out 150 the forest to provide for them and of this destructive cycle. However, 223 208 230 100 178 142 158 their families. Similarly, we see as these statistics show, there’s 108 95 104 99 50 89 68 increased poaching in January as still much work to be done before 0 people want to get bushmeat which the Volcanoes National Park is a Jan Jun Jul they can sell to others celebrating genuine safe haven for the critically- Feb Mar Apr May Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec the start of a new year” endangered mountain gorilla.

3 The Gorilla Organization Students speak out for gorillas 110 Gloucester Avenue London NW1 8HX Students at the University of “It was a privilege to meet Roisin, who also regularly Tel: 020 7916 4974 Roehampton have taken their first Ian Redmond at the speakers helps out at the London offices, [email protected] steps to becoming educational workshop and I found it inspiring and adds: “The workshop was really www.gorillas.org Reg. Charity No. 1117131 ambassadors for the Gorilla educational,” says Sarah. “I volunteer positive and gave us a great Organization. for the Organization and my utmost foundation for our primary school Trustees: Around a dozen primatology ambition is to have a career in charity talks, the first of which went Ian Redmond OBE, Chairman and anthropology students attended and conservation, where I can help really well and I can’t wait to give Sandra Bakker a special workshop at the west secure a future for gorillas. another!” Paul Baldwin London institution at the start Dr J.E. Clarke of the year. Here, they met with Jon Hobbs Gorilla Organization Chairman Ian Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka Redmond, along with Executive Martin Payne Director Jillian Miller, to learn more Lord Spencer J Phillips about conservation work being done Belinda Wakeling in Africa and hone their public Executive Director: Jillian Miller speaking skills. With these new skills under their belt, the students Patrons: will give presentations at schools Richard Adams, Michael Backes, and community groups, raising both Prof. Richard Dawkins FRS, awareness and funds to help gorillas Leonardo DiCaprio, Daryl Hannah, Dr Nathan Myhrvold, The Hon. Mrs in peril. Claire Ward Anthropology undergraduates Sarah Crudington and Roisin Digit News McAuley were among those in Editor: Jillian Miller attendance. Sarah (left) and Roisin meet Ian Redmond at Roehampton Deputy Editor: David Hewitt

Contributors: Emmanuel Bugingo, Rwanda’s intrepid Solar Sisters have David Hewitt, Tuver Wundi worked their magic and started to Ten years of Photographs: Tuver Wundi, Ian install solar panels in the village of Redmond, Uganda Wildlife Authority Nyarugina, in the Musanze District. Kwita Izina Villagers now have the power to DTP: Column Communications Ltd transform their own lives and be This year will mark the tenth anniversary of Kwita Izina, the Printing: Emmerson Press less reliant on the fragile forests they live alongside. Rwandan ceremony of giving names to newborn baby gorillas. Created as a way of bringing both local and international attention to efforts to protect both Uganda mourns gentle giant Mishaya the critically-endangered mountain gorillas and the natural habitat of the Conservationists across Uganda Virunga Mountains in the north of are in mourning for one of the the country, the event has proven a country’s true natural superstars, massive success. the charismatic but camera-shy Over the years, dozens of infant silverback Mishaya. The male gorillas have been given names, mountain gorilla was found dead with The Gorilla Organization in the southern sector of Bwindi enjoying the privilege of taking Impenetrable Forest by rangers. part in the ceremony on several An autopsy revealed that he died of occasions. Now, with Rwanda set to an intestinal condition and he was commemorate the 20th anniversary then buried with full honours by of the 1994 genocide this year, this members of the Uganda Wildlife summer’s Kwita Izina is being Authority in the town of Rushaga. heralded as a beacon of hope for Samual Nsingwire, the a country, as well as for an iconic Gorilla Organization’s Programme species on the edge of extinction. Manager in Uganda, remembers the dominant male with great affection. Silverback Mishaya sorely missed by both rangers and tourists “He was well-known as a very handsome silverback. In fact, he got group and went on to form his own occasions. But each time, the his name from his long face, which family, which has since earned lots leader eluded him. “I never got is a much-admired feature here,” of money for local communities to meet Mishaya myself; he was he says. “Though he was quite shy through gorilla tourism.” always so elusive and ready to with humans, he was a formidable Ian Redmond has trekked hide in the forests, but that only silverback. He led the challenge that through Bwindi and come face- added to his charisma. He will be led to the break-up of the Shongi to-face with this family on several sadly missed.”

THANK YOU Me Trust, Pennycress Trust, Dorothy Howard Charitable the late Mr Frank Speed, the Enid Slater Charitable Trust, Trust, Walker 597 Animal Trust, late Mrs Grace Ada Moules, Jack de Loss Foundation, Dennis Alan Yardy Charitable Miss MS Rickard Animals the late Miss Margaret M Margaret Davis Charitable Trust, Marjorie Coote Charitable Charity, Phred Newbury, Props Dunn, the late Mrs Kay Payne Trust, Allan & Nesta Ferguson Trust, St Mary’s Charity, Tusk & Frocks, the estates of the late and to all our wonderful Charitable Settlement, Save Trust, St Katherine’s Fund, Mrs Annette Dorothea Sparks, volunteers and fundraisers.

4 Printed with the generous assistance of Emmerson Press 01926 854400