Gorilla Journal 24, June 2002

Poachers Kill Mountain Gorillas and Steal a Baby

Rwandan police have arrested two people in connection with the killing of two gorillas and the disappearance of a baby gorilla in the country’s first incident of poaching in 17 years. The two females of the Suza group, Muraha and Impanga, were attacked by poachers on 9 May, 2002, because they had infants nursing that the poachers were seeking to sell.
The killing was discovered by rangers the next day when routine checks revealed the body of the first gorilla with bullet wounds and her 2-year-old infant missing. The second gorilla, called Ubuzima, was found with the infant still beside her. For two days the 12-month-old must have been at the side of her dead mother. The poachers probably left her behind because they were afraid of the silverback male.
The baby was treated for dehydration by the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Center staff and after she had recovered, she was returned to the Suza group where she was adopted by a blackback male called Kwakane. But as she is only one year old and not fed by a lactating female, her chances to survive are not very good. Gorillas depend on their mother's milk for at least two years. However, according to the latest report, she is still doing well.
There is no trace of the older infant that was missing after the mother had been killed.

Summary of various press releases and a report from Antoine Mudakikwa (Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Center)

Volcano National Park overview

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