Goma, 31 July 2011 – The Rwandan authorities have handed over six gorillas from the Congolese plains that were seized from poachers between 2003 and 2007 to the Congolese government. The handover was made at the Rwanda/ Democratic Republic of Congo border between the towns of Gisenyi and Goma.

The handover of the primates was made possible by a close collaboration among Rwanda, Uganda, DRC, Dian Fossey International Fund, Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, IFAW (International Fund for the Protection of Wildlife), Disney Tropic Air Kenya and a number of United Nations bodies, so said Jacques Lyana, of Gorilla Doctors.

While handing over the formal transfer documents, the head of tourism and environmental protection for Rwandan Development Bureau, Ms Rica Rwigamba said that "it took several years of efforts for the international community to envisage an effective protection mechanism for the endangered gorillas and their habitat."

In response the Nord-Kivu provincial Environment Minister, Ms. Rugenera Kambibi expressed thanks to the Rwandan authorities "for arresting the poachers and for taking good care of the gorillas for several years." She said that Governor Julien Paluku "is fully committed in the protection of endangered species."

The six young gorillas were airlifted to the "centre d'éducation pour la conservation et la réhabilitation des gorilles" at Kasugho, located 200km North West of Goma. Conscious of the heavy responsibility incumbent upon him, Dr Jan Ramer, the regional chief of Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Projects said "It is a Great Day for us; however our end-goal is to integrate the gorillas into a safer natural environment where their lives would be spared."

The programme for the protection of Gorillas in Mount Virunga was initiated by Fond Dian Fossey at the request of the "Institut Congolais de la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN)". Given the insecurity situation in the region the stakeholders insisted that MONUSCO participate in the process in order to ensure safety.

Clara Padovan/MONUSCO