There is horrible news from the Okapi Wildlife Reserve this Christmas. Two park guards, James; command officer, and Didi, were killed by poachers. They were on a patrol deep in the forest. Didi died of injuries, so his brave colleagues were able to remove his body from the forest today (4 days after the incident). James was killed immediately, and his body is still at least 2 days away from being removed from the forest. His body is being attended to by other courageous guards, who are helping to move it out of the forest and towards the road.
It is tough for all their colleagues, the park guards - who daily act bravely to protect the natural heritage of the Congo - knowing that death is an uncertain reality. It is much worse for the families of these two men. I don't know if they left widows or children, but assume they both did.
Will post more info when it becomes available. We hope now that they can both be properly buried as soon as possible.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Gorilla Tracking!
Kahuzi-Biega National Park in eastern DR Congo, is a World Heritage Site, due to its universal value to conservation. It used to harbor 75% of the eastern lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla graueri), which is only found in DR Congo. The range of these gorillas was literally invaded by warring and anarchy over the last 15 years. Kahuzi-Biega was the scene of massive mineral exploitation - invaded by as many as 30,000 miners, all of who had to eat!
These gorillas were even hunted for bushmeat - killing many of the groups which had been habituated to tourism...very very sad.
However, park management has worked hard to counter negative forces - mining and rebel groups in the park, to protect its gorillas. Kahuzi-Biega was the site of the first gorilla group habituated to tourism - and here I am with the old man who was there at the beginning - Bwana Pilipili (basically his name is hotsauce or pepper :-).
Now tourism is open, and there are 2 groups habituated - including Chimanuka's group. His name means Eureka! - because after the war, park guards feared that all silverbacks had been lost, but he was found. He now is the silverback leader of 37 individuals! He and his 16 females very productive - now with 20 children, including 4 sets of twins! It is an amazing experience to spend a few minutes with gorillas - thinking about how they've resisted, how their Congolese protectors have persisted, and just watching them eat, play and watch you! Truly an international treasure.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Polar opposite neighbors
I'm currently in Goma - the gory- or hollow-named Congolese city on the shores of Lake Kivu. It is on the border with Rwanda, and filled with people, vehicles, and lava! Just 15 km from the city stands Mount Nyiragongo - one of handful of the world's active volcanoes which has a permanent lava pool in its center. It is a mirror image of those baking soda volcano sets that you should buy for Christmas, and people live ALL around it. On clear nights, a bright red glow can be seen from Goma and clear days reveal a constant steam.
In 2002, Nyiragongo erupted sending most of the city's residents fleeing as lava covered much of the city. To the west of Nyiragongo, and also in Congo, is a younger and even more active volcano Nyumalagira. As you move east, Congo shares two dormant volcanoes - Mikeno & Sabyinyo - with Rwanda. Then Rwanda & Uganda contain the 5 oldest volcanoes. All these dormant volcanoes comprise one of two blocks of the mountain gorilla's range!
Goma has horribly bumpy roads - hardened lava waits to be smoothed as people trip continuously. Goma has dealt with a lot in the last few years - receiving massive influxes of refugees from continuous conflicts. However, the huge UN presence has held up the hard-working, endurant local economy. Lava-block walls encircle new manses and there are many more under construction. There is not a lot of quiet around town. But one shouldn't expect quiet in Congo anyways!
Goma and its neighbor border town; Gisenyi, Rwanda; are nearly perfect metaphorical synonym's to the reputation of their respective countries.
As soon as you arrive in Rwanda, there is no more lava (did a volcanologist draw these borders?) and calm and order is restored. Where Congo has roads paved with lava' Rwanda has paved roads. Rwandan taximen hand a helmet to passengers! Gisenyi is a quiet resort town - very few people compared to the gigantesque, crowded Goma. There are artificial sandy beaches formed on its beautiful shore. Locals hit the beach and swim - boys practice flips off of hills, couples cuddle in the park, and expats and local middle-class go to resorts to swim in pools and water-ski. It has a very calming feel to it as opposed to the dirty, claustrophobia-causing, and intimidating Goma. Relations between the two countries are quite good now, and the border is open 24 hours a day. But given the choice, Congolese stay in Goma, and Rwandans stay in Gisenyi!
In 2002, Nyiragongo erupted sending most of the city's residents fleeing as lava covered much of the city. To the west of Nyiragongo, and also in Congo, is a younger and even more active volcano Nyumalagira. As you move east, Congo shares two dormant volcanoes - Mikeno & Sabyinyo - with Rwanda. Then Rwanda & Uganda contain the 5 oldest volcanoes. All these dormant volcanoes comprise one of two blocks of the mountain gorilla's range!
Goma has horribly bumpy roads - hardened lava waits to be smoothed as people trip continuously. Goma has dealt with a lot in the last few years - receiving massive influxes of refugees from continuous conflicts. However, the huge UN presence has held up the hard-working, endurant local economy. Lava-block walls encircle new manses and there are many more under construction. There is not a lot of quiet around town. But one shouldn't expect quiet in Congo anyways!
Goma and its neighbor border town; Gisenyi, Rwanda; are nearly perfect metaphorical synonym's to the reputation of their respective countries.
As soon as you arrive in Rwanda, there is no more lava (did a volcanologist draw these borders?) and calm and order is restored. Where Congo has roads paved with lava' Rwanda has paved roads. Rwandan taximen hand a helmet to passengers! Gisenyi is a quiet resort town - very few people compared to the gigantesque, crowded Goma. There are artificial sandy beaches formed on its beautiful shore. Locals hit the beach and swim - boys practice flips off of hills, couples cuddle in the park, and expats and local middle-class go to resorts to swim in pools and water-ski. It has a very calming feel to it as opposed to the dirty, claustrophobia-causing, and intimidating Goma. Relations between the two countries are quite good now, and the border is open 24 hours a day. But given the choice, Congolese stay in Goma, and Rwandans stay in Gisenyi!
RIP - Papa Jeepay
November cruised by with lots of force (French for "strength") with Thanksgiving and preparation for a long voyage, on which I've already departed. Finally I've been lended a quiet night alone at the hotel - a good time to drink some red wine and give a little update.
My organization lost Papa Jean-Pierre JeePay last month - he was a veteran chauffeur for the last 18 years. He plied the sometimes impossible Congolese routes, the often impracticable logistics - to become the longest-lived employee in Epulu. He was 55 years old, a husband, and father of 3 boys, and friend to many. I didn't know him very well - but he was always polite, an exemplary worker, had a great laugh, and looked really cool in his Puma sweatsuit. His Swahili dropped off his tongue like oranges from a moving truck. The real heroes in conservation are people like Papa Jeepay - the people who commit to their job - not for glory - not for making a name for themselves as a scientist - but for their family and for their country. They grind everyday, don't really imagine what else they'd do, and don't complain too. He simply worked because that's who he was.
Last November, when Epulu's bridge collapsed, Papa JeePay was one of the unfortunate who flipped out of the crossing canoe on his way to work. I thought "Oh, thank God it was JeePay - he is strong as a horse, and could probably swim even Epulu River's mightiest rapids". He probably could - but maybe all the work seemed to catch up to him eventually.
Earlier this year, he had problems with a nerve in his leg. The morning of the day he died, he asked somebody to pray for him, saying his health wasn't very good. He worked so hard in a difficult environment, that he must have become very tired. He died suddenly of a heart attack on Nov 19. RIP JeePay - may you take a well-deserved rest. You should know you are missed and you did a great job for your family and your country.
My organization lost Papa Jean-Pierre JeePay last month - he was a veteran chauffeur for the last 18 years. He plied the sometimes impossible Congolese routes, the often impracticable logistics - to become the longest-lived employee in Epulu. He was 55 years old, a husband, and father of 3 boys, and friend to many. I didn't know him very well - but he was always polite, an exemplary worker, had a great laugh, and looked really cool in his Puma sweatsuit. His Swahili dropped off his tongue like oranges from a moving truck. The real heroes in conservation are people like Papa Jeepay - the people who commit to their job - not for glory - not for making a name for themselves as a scientist - but for their family and for their country. They grind everyday, don't really imagine what else they'd do, and don't complain too. He simply worked because that's who he was.
Last November, when Epulu's bridge collapsed, Papa JeePay was one of the unfortunate who flipped out of the crossing canoe on his way to work. I thought "Oh, thank God it was JeePay - he is strong as a horse, and could probably swim even Epulu River's mightiest rapids". He probably could - but maybe all the work seemed to catch up to him eventually.
Earlier this year, he had problems with a nerve in his leg. The morning of the day he died, he asked somebody to pray for him, saying his health wasn't very good. He worked so hard in a difficult environment, that he must have become very tired. He died suddenly of a heart attack on Nov 19. RIP JeePay - may you take a well-deserved rest. You should know you are missed and you did a great job for your family and your country.
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