Congo's Gorilla Rangers Allowed to Return to Virunga National Park (Video)

Video of rangers returning: Gorilla.cd

I don't know if you saw the post from a couple weeks ago about when rangers at Congo's Virunga National Park, home to about 200 endangered mountain gorillas, were forced to flee when the park's headquarters fell to rebel assault. The rest of the park had been under rebel control for a bit over a year.

Well, there's some good news to report: Over the weekend the rangers were allowed back into the park's headquarters at Rumangabo.

Park director Emmanuel de Merode praised the development,

It is a huge step that all sides have agreed that the protection of Virunga as a World Heritage Site and its mountain gorillas is of sufficient priority to transcend political differences. Rangers are neutral in this conflict, and it is right that they should be allowed to do their job.

You can follow the progress of the ranger's return at the Virunga National Park blog. Apparently, absent humans baboons decided to take up residence at the ranger station.

photo: Gorilla.cd

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