Tweet
Translation Google
October 4, 2022Jean NtumwaSociety
Burundi: gorillas sold or slaughtered in the Kibira nature reserve
Since the beginning of last September, 24 gorillas have been slaughtered and ten others sold in the Kibira nature reserve on the Teza side, between the provinces of Muramvya and Kayanza (central-north of Burundi). According to the testimonies of Kibira forest rangers, the officials of the Burundian Office for the Protection of the Environment in the provinces of Kayanza and Muramvya do not take sufficient measures to discourage the phenomenon. (SOS Media Burundi)
Rangers are paid to carry out this plan.
“There are rangers among us who are paid to shoot gorillas. Takers come to collect them as well as the gorillas who are captured alive and loaded into vehicles,” admits a forest ranger.
“We are told that gorilla meat has therapeutic use in Rwanda and Tanzania. The demand for game is exploding in this forest. Worse still, even baby gorillas are not spared. We submitted the report to the former minister in charge of the environment but nothing was done to protect these gorillas,” says J. B, another forest ranger.
We interviewed the Director General of the Burundian Office for the Protection of the Environment on this subject. He speaks of a simple operation by poachers and not of gorilla trafficking.
“Poachers have always existed in Kibira. This is nothing new. We try to fight against that but […]”, he said.
Last week, a chimpanzee was killed by poachers in Kayanza province. Six people have been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation.
And in the economic capital Bujumbura, monkeys whose number remains undetermined were recently stolen by strangers who seduced them outside their perimeter at the liaison office of the ministry in charge of the environment.
October 4, 2022Jean NtumwaSociety
Burundi: gorillas sold or slaughtered in the Kibira nature reserve
Since the beginning of last September, 24 gorillas have been slaughtered and ten others sold in the Kibira nature reserve on the Teza side, between the provinces of Muramvya and Kayanza (central-north of Burundi). According to the testimonies of Kibira forest rangers, the officials of the Burundian Office for the Protection of the Environment in the provinces of Kayanza and Muramvya do not take sufficient measures to discourage the phenomenon. (SOS Media Burundi)
Rangers are paid to carry out this plan.
“There are rangers among us who are paid to shoot gorillas. Takers come to collect them as well as the gorillas who are captured alive and loaded into vehicles,” admits a forest ranger.
“We are told that gorilla meat has therapeutic use in Rwanda and Tanzania. The demand for game is exploding in this forest. Worse still, even baby gorillas are not spared. We submitted the report to the former minister in charge of the environment but nothing was done to protect these gorillas,” says J. B, another forest ranger.
We interviewed the Director General of the Burundian Office for the Protection of the Environment on this subject. He speaks of a simple operation by poachers and not of gorilla trafficking.
“Poachers have always existed in Kibira. This is nothing new. We try to fight against that but […]”, he said.
Last week, a chimpanzee was killed by poachers in Kayanza province. Six people have been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation.
And in the economic capital Bujumbura, monkeys whose number remains undetermined were recently stolen by strangers who seduced them outside their perimeter at the liaison office of the ministry in charge of the environment.
