This is horrible...something has to be done to stop the slaughter of these gorillas!

Web Exclusive
By Scott Johnson
Newsweek
Updated: 3 minutes ago

"Hugely Vulnerable"
Conservationist Richard Leakey discusses the threat facing Congo gorillas and what the world can do to help.

Aug. 6, 2007 issue - On July 23, rangers at Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of the Congo made a gruesome discovery. Four endangered mountain gorillas had been slaughtered, for reasons unknown, leaving two infants orphaned. The killings are signficant because the world­ wide population of mountain gorillas only numbers around 700.

Richard Leakey is the founder of Wildlife Direct, a European Union-funded conservation organization based in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), works to protect the apes in Virunga park. A renowned paleontologist, Leakey’s tough antipoaching measures are credited with putting an end to the elephant slaughter in Kenya in the 1980s. He spoke by phone from Kenya to NEWSWEEK’s Scott Johnson about the recent slaughter of some of the endangered animals, the threat posed by the charcoal industry and what the international community needs to do next. Excerpts:

more...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20003424/site/newsweek/


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This is horrific and HAS to be stopped! :argh: What can we do?

because it needs to be known

:kick:

:cry:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article2155469.ece



At least eight rare mountain gorillas have been shot dead, striking a blow to conservation efforts.

The animals were part of a 12-member troop known to researchers as the Rugendo family and lived in a mountainous area straddling the borders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo often visited by tourists.

The killings, in the Virunga National Park in eastern Congo, may have been intended as a warning to local conservationists who seek to prevent the commercial destruction of the region’s rainforests, the natural habitat of gorillas. The Virunga mountains are closely associated with Dian Fossey, the American zoologist, whose book, Gorillas in the Mist, became an acclaimed Hollywood film with Sigourney Weaver as Fossey.

<snip>

Conservation experts said that the slaughter was not the work of poachers because they would have taken the bodies and sold them as food or trophies. “Whatever the motive underlying this tragedy, the gorillas are helpless pawns in a feud between individuals,” Mark Rose, chief executive of Fauna & Flora International, said.

<snip>

A 2004 census estimated that 380 gorillas, more than half of the world’s population, lived in the national park and surrounding Virunga volcanoes region. There is none alive in captivity.

This year two silverback male gorillas were shot dead in the same area, and a female was killed in May. The silverback was an alpha male. Alpha males are leaders within a group, in charge of leading the others to food and protecting them from danger. In his absence the group is often at risk.

there are no words...:cry:

I fear for the future of life on this planet.

The day will come when no animals will remain on earth , I have to wonder how many perish in man made wars alone , not just apes but all sorts of wildlife .

It is a very sad thing indeed . It kills me just to think about it all . The rain forests are drying up , people kill for sport or plain ignorence .

If people kill the animals they will end up killing themselves .

What a world and what a mentality , it is sickening that all life is not valued as a life with a purpose .

Man is king and reduces the world as some grand experiment with only failure as the end result .

I can't even stand zoo's because to see a caged wild animal resticted and isolated from their real purpose in life , how horrid is that .

nt

Anthony Hopkins and Cuba Gooding Jr. Can't recall the name of it...:freak: but it was powerful...

Prey, especially if the zoos keep herds of them, don't bother me so much.

Meanwhile, the national zoo had the brilliant idea of putting the zebras right between the wolves and the lions.

I've never seen more nervous-looking zebras...

Poor Zebras...

in our hometown when my first daughter was around a year old and in a stroller. There was a big glass separating us from the female gorilla and my daughter waved at her. I'll never forget the look on that gorilla's face. At first the gorilla wouldn't even turn around, but when she got a glimpse of my daughter, she turned all the way around and stared for the longest time. Talk about a connection...it was powerful:)

I can't stand what is happening to them:cry:

The notion of animals with that much of a sense of "self" is quite profound and humbling.

A few years before my husband died, he kept bugging me to take him to the Bronx Zoo. As I detest city traffic, I kept putting him off. We had each been there when we were younger, but I eventually gave in, and we went. By this time his health was failing, and I was worried that He would have a hard time walking around the entire zoo, which is quite large. About halfway through the day he needed to sit down and rest. We happened to be in the area of the great apes and Gorillas, so we found a bench and sat down and watched them for a while. There is an indoor area (glassed in) where we went first to see some infants recently born (TOO CUTE !!for words) When we went outside to sit, there was a silverback and some younger males, and one female. They were separated from the public by a moat, and some low iron fencing. We sat and talked while watching their antics, and studying their interaction. When we got up to leave we approached the fence to get a closer look and say goodbye to them, and lo and behold, the young female walked over to the edge of the remote(on all fours) and then SHE STOOD UP and WALKED perfectly ERECT, just as a person and waved at us like she was saying goodbye!!! We had to sit back down, and I even asked a keeper if they had a man dressed up as a gorilla on display??? It was a totally amazing connection, just for that brief moment in time. It made the whole trip worthwhile, and was absolutely UNFORGETTABLE. We were both so glad we went. Have any of you out there ever been to the Bronx Zoo in the past few years? I often wonder if she is still there?????????

For the most part I don't dig the whole captive animals thing, but I also understand that many modern zoos are working conscientiously to maintain populations that are nearly extinct in the wild. Anyhoo...ZooAtlanta has I think four separate gorilla groups, and they are fascinating to watch. I will never, never, NEVER forget being there sometime in the late 90's (maybe '98). A baby had been born literally a day or two or so earlier, and the mom was carrying her around. I watched her cradle that baby in the crook of her arm, patting her bottom with her other hand, just like I would do with my own daughter a few years later. That was absolutely, profoundly moving. I cannot imagine how anyone could see that and deny that there was a deep and very real bond between us and them. To me, that link is a joyous thing, certainly not a threat to my world view or my idea of God or anything of the sort. My daughter and I were at the zoo two weeks ago and there were babies all over the place, including twins, now almost two years old and doing better than twins have ever done in captivity. It's heartbreaking to see what's happening to their wild cousins, whether it's from tribal traditions, economic hardship, or whatever.

Gorilla rescues child

Doggoneitallanyway......the link doesn't seem to work. Sorry. It's the video of the female gorilla in the Chicago zoo that protects a child that fell into the enclosure. Then she gently picked him up and carried him over to the entrance from where she knew humans occassionaly entered the enclosure. She showed far more intelligence and genuine compassion than those who slaughter these magnificent forest dwellers.
Here's the full address -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIY5vUbbh4Y

thanks for the reminder. I can't stand the thought that we are responsible for such wanton destruction, of the planet, different species, and each other. Does any other animal, besides human, slaughter for the pleasure of it, rather than to survive?

**

They make war and commit murder and they enjoy it.

I went to zoos when I was a kid.

Not anymore. I find them to be incredibly sad places.

There was a massive silverback male, who used to entertain the crowd by turning semi-truck tires inside out. I remember laughing my head off when a man in the crowd yelled at the gorilla "Hey Mother F*cker!" and the gorilla turned around and flipped him the bird!

:rofl:

700 is not sufficient to sustain their population. Insufficient genetic diversity.

We have already killed them and probably ourselves too.

But no reason to let that spoil your day!

some how, some way, it has to stop.

in 1895 and they made a come back, such as it is. I think it's not too late but we're still not doing anything nearly drastic enough to stop mass extinctions. It's interesting to see what the Australians are trying to do with the Tasmanian Tiger, which is, bring them back from extinction with cloning. Of course that will only work long term if the habitat problems are solved. Also interesting is what the Germans are doing to bring back the Aurochs with breeding. Of course the result would not be a true Aurochs, but close enough for most people.

This is probably consequences from the devastating violence against the people of the area. If you don't value human life, you're not going to value a gorilla. So very sad. :cry:

from the Congolese government. Leakey can only help advise.

Of course donations would help.

http://www.wildlifedirect.org

:cry:

We are indisputedly the 4th Ape. Gorillas, Bonobos, Chimps, Orangs... each as highly evolved as we are.

I think you are confusing the terms "beast" and "creature".

the more of these type of tragedies we'll see.

what a sad photo.

Not even here on DU. It's disgraceful.

...and until or unless we do, most everything else we do is moot and we're destroying ourselves beneath our own parasitic weight.

It's very honestly a self-correcting problem. It won't be pretty when it happens, but it'll happen. Once the oil runs out, it'll begin. Mass starvation, migration, and violence among the human population as food transport and medicine production drop to almost nothing. Petroleum is the only thing sustaining the seven billion or so human mouths on this planet, and we will not give serious attempts to replacing it until it's entirely gone. By then the damage is done, governments and populations have panicked, and as a species we'll be greatly reduced.

We're rabbits without foxes.

Overpopulation is the one problem that is behind so many of the world's other problems. Down here in Texas the report isn't good. Many, many families still having 6-8 kids, and still having first kid at age 16-17. The math of it is overwhelming to he planet.

these are the folks on the ground.....

http://www.wildlifedirect.org/


http://www.wildlifedirect.org/blogAdmin/gorilla

:)

:thumbsup:

it is harrowing to read their online diary. God bless these folks for having the courage to help the apes.

but the chances are even if we save them now from this, in a few decades we will have managed to wipe out all life larger then a house cat with our global warming.

Humanity is going big, like and asteroid impact. We are going to completely transform this planet's ecology.

We're in the battle to save the planet from mass extinctions at this point. Half of our birds and half of our fish will be gone by 2050, so the scientists say. We need a global crash course in ecology and sustainable economics.

I bet the urban pigeon will probably make it but I'm not sure about that one. By then we won't want animals drinking the last of the clean drinking water anyway.

I suppose it can't be much worse than the mass distinction caused by meteor impacts, but it may be about the same magnitude. Some winners and some losers. I'm not sure if humans will be in the winning column yet. Depends what winning means exactly. So we get to survive on a parking lot. Is that winning?

:-(

but I can't look further :cry: I'm sorry ...

I cannot look at those picture.

:(

:cry:

You poach an elephant, you get executed on the spot if they catch you.

I agree with Leakey... and his ancestors.

**

:kick:

I love the San Diego Zoo...any of you DUers who have been there know how magnificent it is and those of you haven't been there, I can't encourage you enough to make a visit there if you have the chance.

When we were there, my two daughters spent the most time at the Gorilla habitat. The group of Gorillas were all there near the glass area and interacting with the people, primarily the children. The funniest moments and the one that just had my children in stitches, is that there are two "babies" (approx. 1 years old) in this group (fathered by the Silverback Memba) and they were playing with eachother (rolling around, chasing - like my own kids do) and meanwhile the "Pre-teenage" brother (approx. 4 years old) of one of the babies was rolling around play fighting and teasing eachother. At one point the Mother had to separate them only for them to go back at it. Then "Dad" Memba came over, and was watching them as the two brothers started chasing eachother in circles around their father. My kids couldn't stop laughing. As I sat there laughing too and just in general observing all the interactions of this "family", it occurred to me that they really aren't that different from us.

I don't know what is going to happen to those two orphaned babies mentioned in this article, but I can only hope that they will be sent to a place like the San Diego Zoo to be adopted and protected by a family and Zoo like this one. I'm sure Richard Leakey and WildLife Direct are arranging that.

I look at this type of senseless slaughter, wonder what we can do, and then realize, we "more evolved" cousins are doing this to our own in Iraq and other parts of the world. We need to save these wonderful creations, just as we need to save ourselves. I just hope we can all survive, but its not looking good, is it? :shrug:

of their body parts that the Japanese believe will give men erections?

that I often think to myself....even God must be crying....this is one of these times. It makes me sick.

:cry: :cry: :cry:

Add a photo warning on your subject line. Some of us are ultra-sensitive to this type of thing.

not doing that. I think the time to edit is over.

It's horrible and not the only time this has happened. Park Rangers are being threatened and the few remaining Silverbacks murdered because militias want to disrupt the area with mining operations for charcoal.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/070723-gorillas-killed.html

Here is a pic of a Silverback named Patrick from my local zoo.

to read those articles and see those pictures. It's too sad and, worst of all, it seems hopeless. I fear that, in the end, all these creatures are doomed. The assault is relentless and gets worse as time goes on. I hope with all my might that I'm wrong.

It saddens me deeply to think that we are responsible for many creatures' extinction either directly or indirectly. This story is just pure savagery using the poor silverbacks as pawns by the rebels.

If you are at all spiritual or have an understanding that the world and all its members are intertwined then we must adhere to the meaning of taking care of the planet.

Quote from: http://www.ahealingplace.org/earthsteward/wearehome.html

At the center of most traditional American Indian belief systems, everything—every person, tree, insect, animal, and rock—has spirit that deserves honor. Man is not better or worse or even different than the rest of the universe. He is a part of the whole, an indivisible part which is no more or less important than any other part.

At some level we all know this is true; it's just that in the flash and thunder of technology, we have forgotten it. Our growth and happiness depend not on the power of our minds to manipulate our external environment, but upon our ability to move in spiritual harmony.

When we lay down our misconception that we are different and superior to the rest of creation, we find deep relief. Our relief comes from remembering in our hearts that the natural world is a part of us, and we are part of it. We can relax and trust the process because we are an inseparable part of it. We are at home in the universe.

This is the greatest gift we can receive from our indigenous peoples; the knowledge that we are at home.

:grouphug:

Mankind's cruelty hits me like a knife in the gut...I just don't get it....and pray I never will....

"When we lay down our misconception that we are different and superior to the rest of creation, we find deep relief. Our relief comes from remembering in our hearts that the natural world is a part of us, and we are part of it. We can relax and trust the process because we are an inseparable part of it. We are at home in the universe.

This is the greatest gift we can receive from our indigenous peoples; the knowledge that we are at home."


:grouphug: indeed.

DR

If only more people believed that way.

Tears, because, to me, it seems like the ultimate death of humanity, if we cannot learn this very simple lesson.

And, with the death of our species, we take so many with us.

...especially to the conservative Christians who pull most of the shots in this nation. Our anthropocentrism and species conceit rules most belief systems worldwide.

anyone suspected of being a poacher should be killed. anyone supporting the trade should be killed. There are too few aes and too may people. The solution is obvious.

I'm against the death penalty, but, if I just happened across poachers in action, and I just happened to have a machine gun, and I had a chance to get away with it, I guess I'd wind up contradicting myself.

I suppose I'd feel bad later and wish I handled it differently, but, at the moment, I don't think I'd hesitate.

I am a pacifist in most situations , but anyone who could kill such majestic and endangered creatures is beyond redemption.

as threads like this are, it's always encouraging to see people like yourself and others here express sympathy for the defenseless and share the idea that these creatures have a right to exist in peace. The same right to a peaceful existence as we do.

there is no need for, no time for, no use for, shame at the act of defense. Lethal defense only as last resort, when all else is tried, and when the lives of the innocent are at risk.

I like what you said there. I really do. Your logic makes a lot of sense to me and I won't feel quite as conflicted as before when I inwardly cheer whenever I hear some areas in Africa have a shoot on sight policy toward poachers.

I'm probably not the first, but here's a big hearty welcome to DU! :toast:

Glad you're here.

keep the innocent safe

I have no fucking sympathy for them.

on edit: they may not be poachers.

More heavily armed rangers must be on duty in Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of the Congo around the clock to protect these majestic creatures from the dregs of inhumanity. This is an outrage and those that committed such a horrific act should be caught and imprisoned for life X12 with excruciatingly hard labor. All poachers MUST be sent a clear warning for the consequences for such an atrocity.

These animals would cut off their heads if they thought they could make a buck off it...not unlike our own vicious animal government. Long live the few gorillas left and may mankind and the gods protect them, though I don't hold out much hope...gorillas are caring, thoughtful, protective, sentient beings....their murderers are not.

I know it sounds terribly dramatic, but for some reason, these creatures are very special to me. I love animals of all sorts, but these guys...they mean more in a spiritual way. Their survival, to me, symbolizes the humanity in the human population. If they are allowed to perish, to me it seems our basic humanity goes with them. Their passing would cause me great pain, and I've felt that a vital part of my spirit would pass with them, and that I would soon pass on as well. I know, it sounds weird, but this is the best that I can explain it.

I saw this post last night, but I couldn't respond. It hurt too much.

Here is a site/fund that works to protect and support the Virunga mountain gorillas. It has a good rating for the work that they do.
http://www.gorillafund.org/

Rest in peace, my spirit partners.

I'm sure the people committing these "barbaric acts" are living in a type of poverty that no American could EVER understand. Not saying that it's right, but the article does say "Four endangered mountain gorillas had been slaughtered, for reasons unknown."

...once homo sapiens has wiped these other primates from the face of the planet which, from the looks of things, won't be too much longer now.

Of course, we've also put ourselves on our "hit list" and are getting closer by the year to fulfilling that fate.