APA – Kigali (Rwanda) – Gunmen believed to be part of the Rwandan Hutu rebel group of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) have killed at least 2 elephants in a raid this week in the middle of Virunga national park located in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), local media reported Monday quoting authoritative sources in the region.
Internal conflict in the region has fuelled poaching by rebel militia groups and made the work of the dedicated park staff and conservationists both vastly challenging and exceptionally dangerous.
The area from North Kivu province is home to a wide array of endangered species, including large populations of forest elephants, lowland gorillas and chimpanzees.
Currently there are an estimated 6,000 elephants left in the wild in eastern Congo, down from approximately 22,000 before the civil war.
Virunga National Park, as Africa’s oldest national park, covers some 7,700km2 (nearly 800,000 hectares) and is a recognised UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its exceptional variety of habitats and biodiversity.
Latest estimates by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) indicate that rampant poaching claims an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 African elephants each year.
CU/abj/APA
Suspected Rwandan rebels kill 2 elephants in Eastern DR Congo
