Lowland gorilla born in DRC, boosting Virunga park population to seven

[milestogo]

A lowland gorilla, a critically endangered species, has been born in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s famed Virunga national park, authorities said, boosting the population to seven.

Conservationists have long sought to protect the world heritage site’s gorilla population even as violence and instability has plagued the DRC’s eastern provinces for the past 25 years.

“We’re excited to announce the first lowland gorilla birth of the year! Rangers discovered the newborn during a patrol in the Tshiaberimu area yesterday,” park authorities tweeted late on Friday. “Rangers are working hard to safeguard this vulnerable population which now stands at seven individuals,” it added.

The global population of lowland gorillas has plunged from around 17,000 to fewer than 6,000 today and they continue to experience a rate of decline of 5% per year, according to the park. They are often illegally hunted for bushmeat.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/09/lowland-gorilla-born-in-drcs-virunga-national-park-boosting-population-to-seven

[Bayard]

1. Bushmeat

I've never heard that term. Gorillas are such intelligent animals, it sounds somewhat cannibalistic.

[milestogo]

2. Africans eat animals.

And they may kill animals to eat or sell their body parts as souvenirs.