Tshiaberimu

Category: Butembo, Gorillas, Tshiaberimu, Uncategorized | Date: Oct 29 2008 | By: tshiaberimu

Hello this is Jean Claude. At the moment we are safe at Mount Thsiaberimu but we are very concerned about the security situation at Goma.

I am at Kyondo at the moment and rebels have started to walk around. I have asked all staff to be very careful.

This morning I spoke to my colleague Henry who is in Goma. He had an ok night but there is fighting between the rebels and the Congolese army at Kibumba, just 30km from Goma. Gorilla Organization staff are staying in their homes for now but are keeping a very close eye on situation and an evacuation plan is in place should they need it.

Some Gorilla Organization partners are based in Rutshuru (between Goma and Mt Tshiaberimu) which is now under control of the Nkunda’s rebels. We had contact with staff there yesterday but today we have lost contact. We think they may have fled towards Uganda for safety.

The road from Rutshuru leads all the way up to Butembo, north of Mount Tshiaberimu and we fear that Rutshuru could be used as a door to move further north.

For the moment things are ok at Mount Tshiaberimu but we will keep in close contacts with all our colleagues and pray for the people and gorillas of the area.

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Category: Communities, Gorillas, Tshiaberimu, Uncategorized, Virunga National Park | Date: Oct 29 2008 | By: tshiaberimu

Hello, this is Jean Claude. Sorry for the delay in my post, last week I was in Kampala, Uganda for the Gorilla Organization’s annual strategy meeting.

I have some sad news. On Thursday October 23 2008, Mwami Kalemire II, head of the chiefdom of Bashu, departed this world after a month in hospital.

Mwami Kalemire was a valiant fighter for ICCN, he was a man of value, peace and reconciliation. Mwami Kalemire, Grand Chief of Nande, was also the leader who controls Mount Tshiaberimu. He has championed the cause of the Virunga National Park and in particular Mont Tshiaberimu.

I attended the burial ceremony along with a huge gathering of Mwami Kalemire’s supporters including the Governor and a strong delegation from Kinshasa, Goma, Masisi, Walikale and Uganda.

Mwami Kalemire, a great supporter of gorilla conservation did not die alone. The same day the wife of late conservator Mesi’s father and Madame Scheidegger of Flora Fauna International also passed away. It was difficult for me to represent ICCN and the Gorilla Organization at all of ceremonies Thursday on Sunday 26 October, it was a very sad day. But it was important for me to say goodbye to them all and I succeeded to be everywhere. May missing souls depart in peace ….

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Sep 11 2008 | By: tshiaberimu

This is Jean Claude. Last month the ADG (Director General) of ICCN appointed me conservator for the sector of Tshiabirimu, while continuing my role of Project Manager. I was very honored to accept this position, and very grateful that my efforts and endurance during the difficult periods at Mount Tshiaberimu had been recognised.

I would like to sincerely thank the ADG and all members of the management committee of the ICCN and the director of the Gorilla Organization for putting their trust in me.

It is not an easy task but with the support of everyone I will fulfill my role as very best that I can. Thank you.

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Category: Gorillas, Rangers, Tshiaberimu, Uncategorized, Virunga National Park | Date: Aug 26 2008 | By: tshiaberimu

Hello, this is Jean Claude. Muramba is a village at the foot of Mount Tshiaberimu, found on the west coast of Lake Edward. Sadly, Muramba has many problems and is a big threat to the survival of the gorillas. The population density of this village is growing and growing and is having a negative impact on the ecological corridor.

Encroachment in the forest has been a problem in this area for a long time now. Since 2004 we have worked hard with the local community to raise awareness to environmental issues and provide alternatives to the forest wherever we can but this work has had little success.

We recently carried out another visit to Muramba but again it was not successful. We will now concentrate on intensifying the patrols in the corridor between the coast of Lake Edward and the gorilla habitat, and also continue to work with the local communities to find a solution. Please see some pictures below taken by Vhosi during the recent mission to Muramba. In the first photo you can see the growing village between the lake and the forest of Mount Tshiaberimu. The next two photos show the meeting we held with the local community, and the final picture shows ICCN’s patrol boat.

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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.

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Category: Communities, Tshiaberimu, Uncategorized, Virunga National Park | Date: Jul 30 2008 | By: tshiaberimu

Hello this is Jean Claude. Working with the local communities living around Mount Tshiaberimu is an extremely important part of our work to protect the gorillas and the forest. We help to build the capacity of the local people so that they can live in harmony with the forest and protect the habitat for the gorillas.

I frequently visit local villages to keep them informed of our conservation work and raise awareness for the protection of the forest. Last week I visited the village of Kasundi not far from the ranger patrol post at Burusi and on this occasion I was able to deliver 30 iron roofing sheets to help the village construct a health clinic.

The population of Kasundi is very much involved with the protection of the forest and appreciative of the conservation work that we are doing. When we arrived last week with the new roofing sheets the population welcomed us with dances to thank us for our work.

I will write again soon with an update on the health of the gorillas.

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jul 07 2008 | By: tshiaberimu

This is Jean Claude. I would like to personally thank everyone who has contributed both morally and financially to the search for an urgent solution to save the population of gorillas at Mount Tshiaberimu. I would especially like to thank Wanda, Christine, Muriel, Antonia, Cathy, Teresa and Judy for their financial contributions, which have been very gratefully received.

Thanks for all your interest in saving Tshiaberimu gorillas. I will write with more news from here soon.

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jul 07 2008 | By: tshiaberimu

Hello, this is Jean Claude. I have a message for you from Mr Odilon, who is in charge of research at Mt Tshiaberimu. This is what Odilon says:

Following the death of our two female gorillas I spent all of my time in the forest, monitoring the gorillas health to make sure they are all well. For me, there has been nothing to distract me as I am a single man. I have always likened myself to Kanindo, the lone male gorilla at Mount Tshiaberimu who is restless and sometimes comes out of the forest to spend time on the farms.

Now Kanindo has found himself a mate. He has married the adult female Mwengesyali and now he seems so much calmer and happier!

I am also no longer single. Following the distressing time we have been through here at Mount Tshiaberimu I thought it was time for me to share my life with someone and on 28 June I got engaged! Jean Claude and all my friends, family and colleagues joined me for the dowry exchange in my village on the edge of Tshaiberimu. It was a great celebration bringing together the communities, the park and the gorillas.

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jul 04 2008 | By: tshiaberimu

Hello this is Jean Claude. After the gorilla naming ceremony in Rwanda I crossed back in to DRC at the Goma boarder. Here I met with my colleagues from the Gorilla Organization before leaving the following day with the Director Virunga National Park for ICCN, Norbert Mushenzi, to travel back to Tshiaberimu by road. It is a long journey of many miles, and unfortunately this time our vehicle could not make it - at Rwindi the vehicle broke down. Thankfully Henry Cirhuza, the Gorilla Organization’s Congolese programme manager was able to help us out, and drove to meet us so that we were able to complete our journey.

We were on our way to meet Madame Felicite Kalume, the provincial minister for the environment and tourism in North Kivu province. Madame Kalume, accompanied by the governor and deputies, was on a mission to Kyondo, a small town about 5km from Mount Tshiaberimu to assess the state of security in the area and to make sure that the gorillas were safe.

Once we all arrived we had three meetings with Madame Kalume and the Mwamis (chiefs) of the local area. The meetings went well and the Minister convinced the chiefs of the positive implication of the conservation activities taking place along the west coast of Lake Edward, which borders on to the slopes of Tshiaberimu. The meetings closed as we were invited to celebrate the 46th birthday of Mwami Stuka.

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jul 02 2008 | By: tshiaberimu

After the nightmare following the death of our two gorillas at Mount Tshaiberimu, I had a moment of comfort. I was invited by the Office of Rwandan Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) to take part in the annual gorilla naming ceremony in Rwanda. For me this was not only a moment of celebration for the gorillas, but also an opportunity to exchange experiences and sufferings with other members of the conservation community.

The gorilla naming ceremony is now an annual event in Rwanda, which brings gorilla conservation to the attention of an international audience. It is a great celebration and this year a conservation conference took place in the run up to the gorilla naming ceremony. During the conference I met many researchers who pledged to help us at Mount Tshiaberimu following the hard times that we have experienced, and I met personally with Mike Cranfield from Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) who is helping us so much following our gorilla deaths.

I would like to thank everyone who has given me this opportunity for relaxation and to meet other people working hard for gorilla conservation.

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