Critically endangered Cross River gorilla killed

S

Surroundx

Well-Known Member
A male Cross River Gorilla has been shot earlier this month in the Lebialem Highlands near Pinyin in the Santa Sub Division of North West Cameroon.

The presence of this silverback gorilla was reported by a local teacher who was going to her farm very early in the morning on March 1st 2013 at about 1 km away from the village. Pinyin is about 33 km from the proposed Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary.

"The killing of this over 40-year silver-back was ordered by the Chief of Gendarmerie Brigade based in Pinyin", according to Neba Bedes, wildlife expert working for the Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF), "It was done in the name of "self-defense" without conducting the necessary security checks to determine whether this critically endangered animal is causing any danger to the local people.

It is alleged that over 45 bullets were used as well as clubs and stones to kill the gorilla, leaving it in a pool of his own blood.

WARNING: a photograph of the dead animal is included in the news story from which the above text was copied. The image may distress some people, so please consider that when deciding whether to click on the link.

Source: Critically Endangered Cross River Gorilla Silverback Killed in Cameroon
 
Whenever I see a "viewer discretion is advised" curiosity usually gets the better of me and I must click the link. Usually I am not fazed by seeing a dead body, but the photo and the fact that it was shot 45 times and pelted with stones just made me nauseous.
 
Horrible.:mad:

However, it does show also that local people still regard gorillas as a threat to them and their crops, rather than a priceless treasure.

I can't help feeling that good zoos in gorilla range countries, with good gorilla exhibits and decent educational facilities might work wonders here. Maybe zoos from Europe and North America should divert some of their in-situ funding to this end.
 
nanoboy said:
Whenever I see a "viewer discretion is advised" curiosity usually gets the better of me and I must click the link. Usually I am not fazed by seeing a dead body, but the photo and the fact that it was shot 45 times and pelted with stones just made me nauseous.
Click to expand...

I nearly always click on such links.;) This photo is very similar and certainly no worse than the many old shots I have seen of (usually) big male Gorillas killed by 'natives' in much earlier years and displayed as trophies- some of them even appear as old Postcards! But I can see how it might shock some people who haven't seen similar before.

This killing is of course very unfortunate but I think we should remember that the treatment and attitude to animals in Africa, particularly outside of National Parks, is very different to our conservation-orientated societies in the West. I am not condoning it obviously, but this sort of incident and the way it was killed is all part of the African culture.
 
IanRRobinson said:
I can't help feeling that good zoos in gorilla range countries, with good gorilla exhibits and decent educational facilities might work wonders here. Maybe zoos from Europe and North America should divert some of their in-situ funding to this end.
Click to expand...

I don't think there are any good zoos in Gorilla range countries? Surely they are still all very low-grade? :( Apes still held in barred cages, animals teased and poorly looked after? Its the culture. I distinguish from this those 'repatriation centres' where young Gorillas are rescued and kept for re-release- these do seem more educational and with better standards.
 
How horrible, just shows how much work we still need to do in West Africa to educate people about these amazing animals.

If there is any bright side to this story, however, it's the fact that this was a very elderly individual and at least not a young male with years of breeding ahead of him. Still, how horrible...:(:(

~Thylo:cool:
 
Pertinax said:
I don't think there are any good zoos in Gorilla range countries? Surely they are still all very low-grade? :( Apes still held in barred cages, animals teased and poorly looked after? Its the culture. I distinguish from this those 'repatriation centres' where young Gorillas are rescued and kept for re-release- these do seem more educational and with better standards.
Click to expand...

This, if true - and never having visited tropical Africa I don't know - simply has to change.

Far too many conservation groups in developed countries give me the impression that they've not noticed that the colonial era is over. Unless hearts and minds can be won to the cause of tolerating big, destructive animals living nearby - and whilst gorillas may seldom harm people, their presence doesn't help somebody trying to grow food for themselves and their families - we will lose the conservation war.

Maybe instead of sending a froup of Western Gorillas to a remote patch of forest Damian Aspinall would do far better to fund a Howletts sourced group of animals living in a high-class captive environment somewhere in West Africa.
 
Pertinax said:
I nearly always click on such links.;) This photo is very similar and certainly no worse than the many old shots I have seen of (usually) big male Gorillas killed by 'natives' in much earlier years and displayed as trophies- some of them even appear as old Postcards! But I can see how it might shock some people who haven't seen similar before.

This killing is of course very unfortunate but I think we should remember that the treatment and attitude to animals in Africa, particularly outside of National Parks, is very different to our conservation-orientated societies in the West. I am not condoning it obviously, but this sort of incident and the way it was killed is all part of the African culture.
Click to expand...

Nah this photo had it propped against a wall in a pool of blood. The trophy and postcard photos were usually tastefully done, with smiling, proud people around. Even the famous photos of the dead mountain gorillas spread eagled on the trestles weren't as bad as this.

Don't get me started on Africa, and don't get me started on conservationists who don't understand the mentality of third worlders. I remember being an expat in a Caribbean island and locals serving me armadillo, paca, and iguana because they wanted to show off their wealth. It's difficult to change a mentality when people simply don't care. But back to Africa, why is it such a big surprise that Africans treat animals the way that they do, when they treat their fellow Africans no differently?
 
nanoboy said:
Nah this photo had it propped against a wall in a pool of blood. The trophy and postcard photos were usually tastefully done, with smiling, proud people around.

But back to Africa, why is it such a big surprise that Africans treat animals the way that they do, when they treat their fellow Africans no differently?
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I agree this photo hasn't been staged in the same way as the old ones used to be. I always thought the trophy ones were pretty bad though, with the proud looking hunters gathered around their slack-jawed quarry...

It doesn't surprise me at all that Africans treat animals as they do. Its a similar story in many other 3rd world countries. It won't change anytime soon either.
 
IanRRobinson said:
This, if true - and never having visited tropical Africa I don't know - simply has to change.
Click to expand...

I have heard reports from people who have visited Zoos in West Africa- from these it appears they are usually very basic and pretty grim affairs.
 
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