Tshiaberimu

Category: Communities, Gorillas, Rangers, Research, Tourism, Tshiaberimu, Virunga National Park | Date: Sep 16 2009 | By: tshiaberimu

 Hi,This is Tuver

On behalf of Mount Tshiaberimu guards ,ICCN staff in this sector of Virunga national Park and Gorilla Organization Staff,i thank’s all off you for all donations we gate via wildlifedirect.

We are happy to continue our work and protecting this gorilla habitat whith your support.

Thank’s and we still need your help and more support.

Tuver Wundi

The Gorilla Organization Communications Manager

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Category: Communities, Research, Tshiaberimu | Date: Sep 03 2009 | By: tshiaberimu

Hi,this is Vhosi

The war in DR Congo may be over, but the impact will be felt for generations. Years of turmoil have stretched things beyond their limits.

I have recently been spending time in Ngitse, a village close to Mount Tshiabirimu, where there is a high rate of widows and young unmarried women who have many children.

Many of the young women were raped or sexually abused by soldiers or militiamen, then they got pregnant and had children from unknown fathers. We have found out that, around Mount Tshiabirmu, over 500 young women were raped or were sexually abused as a result of the war. As a result, more than 1500 children were born. This information is from only three out of the eleven villages surrounding Mount Tshiabirimu, so the real figure is likely to be much higher. 96% of these young women are illiterate, while 82% of their children are not going to school. According to the local health centre the rate of those that tested HIV positive is five per cent (figures are from 2006).

In our research, 95% of the sexually abused young women are in charge of their mothers who are widows. I met one widow in Ngitse village called Irena who is caring for nine children, among them five orphans.

In this small area, little squares of farmland cover the steep slopes of the hills which provide living to thousands of local farmers. 30% of local people are landless and almost 80% of them are in land conflicts. Such situations may create conflicts between local people and the gorillas’ habitat forcing people to do things that will help them to survive for the present, even though they know they are creating problems for the future.

The impact of the war in DRC is still being felt here. The important thing is to remind the world of what happened, and to never let it occur again.

One response so far

Category: Gorillas, Research, Virunga National Park | Date: Jul 16 2009 | By: tshiaberimu

Hi, This is Kyungu

The trackers and vets at Mount T are shocked to report the sad death of a silverback named Kanindo, who died after falling into a ravine at Miamba, a three hour walk from the nearest patrol post at Kalibina. Kanindo fell and lay paralysed at the bottom of the gully for about four days, without food or water. Our trackers noted on 5 July that Kanindo and his juvenile companion Mukokya had not been seen.

Then two days later they saw Mukokya alone. This was not usual, as young Mukokya has been accompanying Kanindo ever since his father Nzanzu died of old age in February. Before that time, Kanindo had been a solitary gorilla. Trackers found Kanindo in a gully on the afternoon of 8 July, but he was unable to move, and they were unable to move him. Vets were called, and they went directly to the place.

The gorilla was howling in pain, and they gave painkillers and antibiotics. Three days this continued, but they were not able to save Kanindo from death, which came on 11 July at around 18:00. Kanindo, the dead gorilla, had been used to human presence thanks to efforts of the Gorilla Organization in this area since 1996 to save what is still left of this part of the park. All of the staff at Mount T are under a cloud of shock and emotions about his death.

5 responses so far

Category: Gorillas, Research, Tshiaberimu, Uncategorized, Virunga National Park | Date: Jul 31 2008 | By: tshiaberimu

Hello this is Jean Claude. During the last few days we have carried out a gorilla health monitoring visit at Tshiaberimu. Dr Jacques Iyanya and Dr Eddy Kambale from the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) led the mission and were joined by Dr Mavisi, a local vet who has been working with the project for some time, and Mr Odilon, our research coordinator.

Three habituated gorilla groups were observed - Lusenge, Kipura and Kanindo - from the patrol posts of Burusi, Kalibina and Kikyo, respectively.

During the health monitoring visit, three individuals were checked from Lusenge group (Nzanzu, Musangania and Mukokya), four individuals from the Kipura group and two from the Kanindo family. Faecal samples from each night nest were taken and close observations of the individuals health and behavior were recorded. It is very rainy here now at the moment but thankfully the rain started after the fecal samples were collected.

I am very happy to tell you that no apparent health problems were recorded for any of the observed individuals - great news!

In addition to the vet’s visit, ICCN trained rangers are collecting health data daily for some habituated gorilla group. They are using the MGVP IMPACT system (IMPACT = Internet-Support Management Program to Assist Conservation Technologie) This system gives the rangers guidelines to observe the gorillas health and helps them to identify any health problems.

Please see some pictures below taken during the gorilla health monitoring visit. I am sorry that some of them some of them are not very clear.
Thanks for all your support and I will write again soon.

6 responses so far

Category: Research, Tshiaberimu, Virunga National Park | Date: Feb 21 2008 | By: admin

The birdsurvey at Tshiaberimu:

I have conducted a bird survey in Mount Tshiaberimu in collaboration with other colleagues from the Kisangani University and the CRSN/Lwiro. Before we publish the final report, let me inform you that the Tshiaberimu ecosystem showed 145 birds species with 10 endemic of the Albertina valley and one rare bird.

Cryptospiza shelleyi

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9 responses so far