Monday, November 28, 2011

From Mark Rosenthal

rhino2 by bucklesw1
rhino2, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Rwanda will start importing rhinos and lions from South Africa next year, after its own wildlife was decimated by poaching and conflict. Rwanda has only one rhino, while lions disappeared when refugees returning home after the 1994 genocide occupied parts of a national park.

Tourism officials say they have begun fencing the park and work will be finished in February next year. Highly endangered mountain gorillas are Rwanda's main tourist attraction.



Rwanda’s tourism director Rica Rwigamba says, "We have began fencing the park. The work will be finished in February 2012 and after that the reintroduction of these species will be one of our priorities."

The mountain gorillas are concentrated in the Virunga Massif that straddles the border between Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Many years ago, in the Bronx Zoo's old Gorilla (Primate) House they had ann "exhibit" on one wall. From the side one could see there were bars looking like a cage. One could also read the sign by the bars which read something like , "The most dangerous animal on earth." Standing directly in front, you find yourself looking into a mirror behind the bars.
Seven billion of us threatening, to say the least, every other creature, and actually ourselves as well.

Paul Gutheil

johnny said...

The videos of Gorillas inRowanda are just fabukous. You cfan't help from wonder of what is going on in the big silver backed brain. What a fascinating creature. Fun to observe them one on one in a zoo,etc. A very chilling effect. tanglefoot.And seeing them in their own habitat is fabulous. All those dedicated people are to be admired and keep up the good work.