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Location: Sydney, AUS
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Gorillas vs Guerillas
08-10-2007
Foreign Correspondent - 28/08/2007: Gorillas vs Guerillas
Quote:
On the densely forested slopes of a range of volcanoes stretching across Rwanda, Uganda and The Democratic Republic of the Congo, live the world’s last two remaining populations of mountain gorillas.
But for how long?
This year alone in four separate incidents, nine gorillas from a group living around the Mikeno volcano in Virunga National Park, have been killed – the most recent deaths suspected to be an attack on the park itself.
Rangers and conservationists working to protect the animals are in constant danger themselves from poachers and rebel militia living in the mountains, who value the gorillas for their meat and sell their babies for the exotic pet trade.
For this report Paul Raffaele spent some time in the jungles of Rwanda and the DRC. Travelling with national park rangers he came in close contact with the endangered primates who seemed unperturbed by the intrusion.
When Raffaele encountered a family of gorillas in their jungle habitat he was surprised to find them so at ease in the presence of humans. As one large male fell asleep in front of him, Raffaele understood how easy it would be for anyone wanting to harm them.
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