Remembering Virunga Bravest 2020

2020 will go down as a somber year in human history with a global pandemic and a year full of protest against racial injustice. For Virunga National Park, 2020, will be remembered as the deadliest year in the history of the park with 21 Rangers and Employees who tragically lost their lives in 2020. Today… Read More

Local Concerns about the Increased Insecurity In and Around Virunga National Park

More than 20 local civil society groups in North Kivu have expressed their concerns with regard to the surge of insecurity in and around Virunga National Park. It is with deep consternation that we learned today, Thursday, 24 April 2020, of the attack on a convoy of the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature… Read More

When Some Rangers Are Poor Role Models, Don’t Blame Them All…RIP Virunga

Last week started with the uncovering of an investigation by Buzzfeed that exposed the extreme violence and abuse committed by some rangers in Asia and Africa. The week ended with the death of Virunga Ranger Freddy Mahamba Muliro, killed defending the park, the wildlife and the fishermen communities of Lake Edward. This is the story about… Read More

1.000 Reasons to Save Virunga: Home to Unparalleled Biodiversity

Virunga, which was designated a World Heritage Center in 1979, has earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous national parks in Africa. It is home to unparalleled biodiversity, including lions, elephants, and the rare mountain gorillas, which have been threatened by habitat loss from farming and unrest stemming from DRC’s two civil wars—one… Read More

1.000 Reasons Save Virunga: Gorilla babies, babies, and more babies…

Virunga’s rangers couldn’t be happier with the way 2018 has begun. The first of seven births happened on January 7th, when Sebutimbiri of the Mapuwa family gave birth to a boy. Several days later four more babies were born within five days of each other. With January in the books, rangers understandably thought they had… Read More

Park Rangers Under Attack: 9 killed in DRC in 2016 – the highest number in Africa #WRD

#WORLDRANGERDAY2017 – PARK RANGERS UNDER ATTACK IN THE DRC    10 defenders killed in the DRC in 2016 – the highest number in Africa   9 of those killed were park rangers   The DRC government is threatening those campaigning against abuses in the natural resource sector Natural predators are the least of Rodrigue Katembo’s worries… Read More

Virunga National Park: When Deeds Say more than Words

Sometimes it seems easier to write about conflict, than to do something about ending it. Eastern DRC does not escape this fate, in the mist of conflict and the never ending power struggles it has become  a very prolific research ground for many. We all have something to say about DRC’s conflict, about its roots, consequences and its devastating… Read More

Two Dedicated Rangers have been Murdered: Honor their Memory and Support Virunga National Park

Herebelow Virunga National Park‘s last message on the death of two of their Rangers:  Remembering the Rangers Mulonga and Mumbere Rangers Fidèle Mulonga Mulegalega and Venant Mumbere Muvesevese died doing everything in their power to protect the park. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for their sacrifice. Were it not for brave men and women like them, Virunga National Park… Read More

Virunga: Gorillas in the Mist…and the new oil battelfield – Spanish Insight

The second largest daily newspaper in Spain ‘El Mundo’ informs the Spanish speaking public about the oil threat in Virunga National Park. In this insightful article, the author highlights the factors threathening the Park, the death of 150 rangers fighting for its survival; as well as the atrocities that have been happening in this conflictive… Read More