081113-Fears For Congo's Gorillas

Fears For Congo's Gorillas

The vast camp at Kikuku is home to thousands of people fleeing the fighting in eastern Congo.

Among them are rangers who normally protect the country's rare mountain gorillas.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) JEAN BAPTISTE KADEGA, RANGER, SAYING:

"When they came to attack Rumangabo one month ago, we got aid from our director of ICCN. He gave us some vehicles, cars to take first our families."

Virunga's Gorilla Sector has been in the hands of rebel fighters for more than a year.

Last month the Rumangabo park headquarters also fell to a rebel assault, putting an end to conservation work.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) DIDDY MWANAKA, DIRECTOR OF TOURISM, VIRUNGA PARK, SAYING:

"Militias from Nkunda's rebels have taken the area, the sector where the gorillas live. We don't know if they are healthy, we don't know about their security, if they remain in security or not."

Diddy Mwanaka is Virunga's Director of Tourism.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) DIDDY MWANAKA, DIRECTOR OF TOURISM, VIRUNGA PARK, SAYING:

"It is very very frustrating to not live near the gorillas because gorillas are creatures who we love very much."

50 rangers are among the camp's 200,000 residents.

And one of them says conditions are dire.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BALEMBA BAHAGIZI, RANGER, SAYING:

"We don't have any medical attention here. One week ago we had about ten cases of cholera in this camp."

While the rangers live in fear of fighting and disease their charges too may be suffering.

There are only 700 mountain gorillas left in the world - 200 of them are in Virunga.

Without protection its feared extinction is a real possibility.

Sonia Legg, Reuters.

dire Urgent; desperate: in dire need; dire poverty.

charge
a. Supervision; management: the scientist who had overall charge of the research project.

b. Care; custody: a child put in my charge.