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Endangered baby gorilla rescued from smugglers
The infant gorilla's name is certainly appropriate - Ihirwe in the African language of Kinyarwanda, which translates to luck in English.
Rwandan authorities rescued the year-old primate Sunday night as poachers tried to smuggle her into Rwanda from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Wildlife Fund said Tuesday.
Mountain gorillas are critically endangered with fewer than 800 remaining in the wild in the mountains of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.
“The good news is that this infant was rescued before it was too late and is now in good hands. The bad news is that people believe there is a market for baby mountain gorillas and are willing to break laws and jeopardize the fate of a critically endangered species at the chance for profit,” Eugène Rutagarama, director of the International Gorilla Conservation Project, said in a statement. The project is a coalition of the World Wildlife Fund, African Wildlife Foundation and Flora & Fauna International.
The alleged smugglers, men from both Rwanda and the Congo, are in Rwandan custody, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The conservation coalition is working with Rwandan and Congolese authorities on an investigation into a possible smuggling network.
Authorities had not determined which family group the orphaned gorilla came from or if any other gorillas had been harmed by the smugglers.
Ihirwe is under the care of veterinarians of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project in Kinigi, Rwanda.
“She will go through a 30-day quarantine period, and hopefully will return to DR Congo at Virunga National Park’s Senkwekwe Center where she can join orphan gorillas Maisha, Kaboko, Ndeze and Ndakasi," veterinarian Jan Ramer said in the statement. "We are cautiously optimistic for this little one - she is tense, but accepting of people, and is eating. All good signs for her eventual recovery.”
@cnnbrk on Twitter
Where is the rescued baby gorilla I'm looking for a home.
That isn't a gorilla. It's just a kid in a little suit.
Dunksi, Your an ass...
It is always good to hear about a happy ending. But when these thugs get out of jail what's to keep them from doing this again? Why are so many people posting nonsense?
I had a happy ending last night!
Coming from you, Black House, that means....nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Pardon, your ignorance is showing...
Thank you CNN for a story of hope. Maybe the world got just a little better with one saved life. I only wish some of these people would stop posting mean ugly and unrelated comments. There is no need for it. Obviously they don't care about the little orphaned baby gorilla.
There isn't much they do care about except their selves.
I hope that little baby will be all right.
I further hope that the people who buy and sell these critters will be punished.
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Nice to know CNN is deleting offensive posts...
One has to wonder why Africans are so insensitive to the rich fauna they possess. They are the worst bests in that continent killing other species indiscriminately. It is so sad what they are doing to other species and to themselves.
Josh...are YOU SERIOUS?
After what HUMANS...especially AMERICANS have done to Native Americans and American Blacks, you have the audacity to talk about Africans and other species.
Well, CINO, we're talking about the here an now, not what happened 150-200 years ago. Present day Americans have admitted the mistake of their ancestors and, although it's part of our history, we have moved on. I can only assume by your post that you're not an American citizen, but some foreigner who likes to pontificate about Americans, but really has no idea what he's talking about.
who has moved on? did ya read what just happened in Mississippi?
who has moved on? did ya read what just happened in Mississippi?
humans are horrible! How can there be a god?
You know, it's just possible this baby gorilla was taken to sell to an exotic pet fancier in the USA – you know, the people who dress chimps and gorillas up like people and treat them like people until they get big and hard to handle and hurt someone? If the demand for exotic animals stopped, Africans would stop poaching. Ultimately, the criminals here are the people who give the poachers a reason to do what they do.
JW, amen!!
"JW – Well, CINO, we're talking about the here an now, not what happened 150-200 years ago. Present day Americans have admitted the mistake of their ancestors and, although it's part of our history, we have moved on"
You are kidding right? The number of endangered species in the US is as high as elsewhere and you still get people complaining about having to cancel building projects because it might harm a species. And there is a big market in the US and elsewhere for rare bird eggs and the like.
Such a cute baby gorilla. Oh I wish I had one. Lovely story. We need at least one happy story every day. Why are there so many ugly comments? Oh well at least a few got deleted.
Start putting the too rich buyers in jail and watch the market dry up.
What a beautiful animal! I am so appealed by what humans do to each other and to other species. We should be the smart species in charge of protecting others, but one has to wonder.
Josh...that is funny!
Josh said: "I am so appealed by what humans do to each other and to other species."
Getting off on watching a little man on gorilla action or what?
The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project is an amazing organization, and mountain gorillas are amazing creatures. If you feel compelled, please share the awareness of their plight and what a great job MGVP does. Thanks.
@ghost: thank you, its been the best post in centuries.
The story is about a rescued baby gorilla. Some of you need to post about this,not silly things. Maybe you can't write too well,but at least you will sound like you know what you are talking about.
Cute little critter. Whatever you do don't give him the ALZ-112 SERUM!!!!
Aww, poor baby, its mother must be crying. I hope it stays healthy and lets the humans help it. I hope they cut the hands off of the stupid people who wanted to sell it.