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 This past year has seen the DRC
Parks Relief Mission reach its goal and more. In October 1999 I stated
our goal as an immediate, short-term, "bottom-up" emergency relief
effort to provide emergency survival and morale supplies directly to
the DRC Park Rangers, which we could reach during the war.” We clearly
defined our exit strategy and we have successfully reached it. We have
completed our goal by securely delivering materials to Kahuzi-Biega (PNKB),
Upemba, Kundelungu, and Salonga National Parks, as well as
manufacturing uniforms for all DRC Parks Gardes and producing the new
Garde de Parc insignia patches for 1,600 personnel across the whole of
the country. Our efforts and communications have also inspired an
American NGO to begin working in Maiko National Park, the first
efforts on-the-ground in a decade. You will remember that 100 percent
of the Grauer’s Gorilla population occurs in DRC, half of the entire
population are found in the Kahuzi-Biega and Maiko National Parks. So,
these efforts are critical to the survival of this magnificent gorilla
type. The PNKB Garde de Parc continue to monitor the gorilla
population and still have not lost any since January 2000.
Conservation successes continue! |
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Through the Gorilla Haven response and website, the Lukuru Wildlife
Research Project facilitated support either financially or with
in-kind services from 40 organizations and many more individuals from
the global conservation community in nine countries on five
continents. Gorilla Haven was one of the first to step forward … and
they have extended support throughout the life of the DRC Parks Relief
Mission. |
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Your direct contributions have enabled us to provide materials that
respond to the emotional and physical needs of the Park Rangers
(including things specific to individual parks) and aide them in
monitoring, patrolling, and protecting their critical wildlife and
habitats. They now know that their efforts are extremely important,
that the international community cares and is providing concrete
support on their behalf. Today the Congolese authorities have actively
renewed their commitment to conservation. Large international
conservation organizations and funding sources have now begun to reach
the DRC. We have been contacted by several international organizations
for advice about establishing disaster relief committees or emergency
accounts to fund rapid actions in the future. |
 Our emergency resources and motivational support included: personal
items (woman’s clothe pagne’s; 1,300 lbs of mixed clothing for men,
women, and children; donated Zoo keeper uniforms; 100-lb bale of
socks; pairs of flip flop sandals; and blankets), household goods
(sacks of rock salt; large serving spoons; table knives; cups; bowls;
buckets; matches; razor blades; lock & key sets; mosquito netting for
beds; spools of thread; safety pins; sachets of 10 litre bidons;
powdered milk; sugar; and cartons of soap), basic medicines (Amodiaquine
Malaridose Zenufa – a relatively new malaria cure treatment 3-pill
protocol; Chloramphenicd Collyre pink-eye drops; Amoxycillin capsules;
Multivit multivitamins tablets; Paracetamol tablets; Fortified
Procaine Penicillin - Injectible Benzyl penicilliin vials; Sachets of
Oral Rehydrations Salts; Quinine Sulfate; Aspirin tablets; Indomethac
Indocide muscle relaxant; Mebendazole tablets worm cure medicine;
Metronidazole anti-helminthic and antiamebic; Erythromycine; cotton
balls; syringes; sterile precision-glide needles; winged infusion
sets; alcohol preps; sterile IV sets; sodium chloride drip bags; and
Liquid cough suppressant for children), anti-poaching equipment and
development tools (rubber boots; Coleman Nevada 2-person tents; Lafuma
rain ponchos; Bergamo backpacks; 24” and 16” machetes; shovels; hoes
to clear patrol routes; canteens; GPS units; 100 2-meter-sized
industrial sacks to transport cash crops to market; salaries to the
park personnel; a color printer; a scanner; computer software;
construction materials to repair Ranger houses and administrative
structures; a hydroelectric plant generator; and bicycles),
communications equipment (40 Motorola walkie-talkies with rechargeable
batteries and regular backup batteries; and new VHF radiophoniques
with accessories including antenna, cables, 12V battery, solar
panels), wildlife conservation education materials (posters; pencils;
stickers; special cahiers and depliants; magazines; brochures; and tee
shirts), administrative supplies and equipment (manual typewriters
with spare ribbons; bics; reams of paper; and boxes of envelopes), and
school supplies (construction paper; pencils; bics; blackboards;
chalk; school books and materials; museum donated scientific
literature; scissors; glue; posters; water color paints; paint
brushes; cahiers; toys; and soccer balls). |
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In addition to these ventures, five issues of ‘Le Gorille – Parc
Nationale de Kahuzi-Biega’ have been printed and distributed to the
communal human population in and around PNKB. We have involved the
United Nations in issues of environment and wildlife conservation. Our
efforts supported the first survey of PNKB (conducted in June 2000 by
ICCN and Wildlife Conservation Society) by providing important
research equipment. In producing the Parc de Garde uniforms, 80
percent of the funds were spent in Kinshasa demonstrating the ideal
union between conservation and economic development. |
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The DRC Parks Relief Mission has achieved a tangible and meaningful
conservation effort. We have witnessed park guards who have regained
their identity, motivation, unity, and self-esteem. You and Gorilla
Haven have made a difference! Thank you! |
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Photos: Above left of Eastern Lowland
MUKISI from an old postcard of him while
at Chester Zoo in England (I believe), sent by Stuart Nixon. Above
right of Eastern Lowland AMAHORO,
reclining at her current home in Antwerp Zoo in Belgium (photo
courtesy of Jeroen Stevens). |
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Gorilla Haven
is a multi-faceted project. The GH facility in the mountains of North
Georgia is geared towards helping a certain
number of Western lowland gorillas in captivity. However, it
makes no sense to focus only on captive gorillas, when their wild
cousins in Africa are facing extinction as you read this message,
so our mission is more far reaching than many may realize. One aspect of
donations to GH is that 100% of it can and does go directly towards helping
animals and people in conservation. The GH facility is privately funded by
Steuart and I personally, enabling us the rare privilege of being able to direct
100% of any unsolicited funds directly to people and projects where we know the
people involved and believe we'll maximize the investment in helping various
projects. When the devastation of the war in the Congo first reached
us, I asked Steuart what the maximum amount of money was that we could give to
help my dear friend, Jo Thompson, in her efforts to protect her own bonobo
research site and its environs. Then I asked if we could double that
amount and he agreed, since the planet's only Eastern Lowland gorillas (Gorilla
Gorilla Graueri) are only found in The Congo. Knowing Jo was a
rare and feisty lady who, like me, shared a passion for her animals and the
people she works with, I sent the check, hoping against hope it wasn't in vain.
Jo kept us appraised with how our money and that of several other wonderful
conservation organizations and individuals sent as well was spent. Since
the Crisis Fund was just that - money to help get through a crisis - we're happy
and proud to add Jo's update showing how one person CAN make a difference.
