Burundi : gorillas sold or slaughtered in the Kibira natural reserve

Since the beginning of last September, 24 gorillas have been slaughtered and ten others sold in the Kibira natural reserve on the Teza side, between provinces of Muramvya and Kayanza (central-north of Burundi). According to testimonies of Kibira forest rangers, officials from the Burundian Authority for the Protection of the Environment in provinces of Kayanza and Muramvya are not taking sufficient measures to discourage the problem. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Rangers are paid to carry out this plan.”There are rangers among us who are paid to shoot the gorillas. Takers come to collect them as well as gorillas that are captured alive and loaded into vehicles”, admits a ranger.

“We are told that gorilla meat has a 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 has been done to protect these gorillas”, says J. B, another forest ranger.

We asked the Director General of the Burundian Authority for the Protection of the Environment on this matter. He speaks of a simple operation by poachers and not of gorilla trafficking. “Poachers have always existed in Kibira. There’s nothing new. We’re trying 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 commercial capital Bujumbura, monkeys whose number remains undetermined were recently stolen by strangers who seduced them outside their perimeter at the liaison office of the environment ministry.