Oct 31 2007
Memories of the Rugendo Family
After the interviews yesterday that we did with CBS and Anderson Cooper, we cannot help but reminisce about the Rugendo family and the day of the massacre in July.
It was such a terrible moment in our lives. That day will never be forgotten. Yesterday really brought all of this back. We have been distracted with the latest fighting. But we want to remember Senkwekwe and his family.
We also think constantly about the survivors and how they are faring in the middle of the fighting, which continues today up at the patrol post of Bukima in the Gorilla Sector.
The boss, Senkwekwe - calm, peaceful, unaggressive and a joy to be around.
This is me, Innocent, back in April with him.
Bavukahe, an infant female, survived the attack. But today she is the only female in the group and is not of reproductive age.
Baseka, a young blackback. We hope he is not suffering today.
Kongomani, a playful blackback, managed to escape the killers in July.
Machibiri & her infant Ntaribi. Machibiri’s bones were found 3 weeks after the massacre, and Ntaribi is presumed dead. She would have been too young to survive alone.
Mukunda, a Blackback, also a survivor and last time we knew he was leading the group. We hope he is doing a good job.
Neza, shot and killed for no reason.
Noel - a male infant, is still alive and escaped with a gash on his arm that was treated by the Gorilla Doctors.
Mburanumwe, an adult female, shot and killed.
And finally, Safari and Ndeze. Safari was also murdered. Ndeze is now orphaned in Goma. This photo was taken shortly after Ndeze’s birth in February. You can see more of Ndeze here and here.
Go here to read about the history of the Rugendo family. The family used to be 12 and is now 5: 6 dead, 1 orphaned.
Thank you for your support and donations. It is truly amazing.
Diddy & Innocent
Technorati : congo, drc, mikeno, rugendo, wildlifedirect
Daily news from the conservation frontline by Innocent and Diddy, and other Congolese rangers risking their lives to save mountain gorillas of the Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Oh my god! That was so sad…….it made me cry! Those sweet, innocent eyes…I am sue Senkwekewe wanted to protect is family so hard! He looked so good! Just horrible! Rest in peace!!!! Thank you for sharing this wonderful tribute!
You can also see Kongomani and Noel playing in April. Click on this link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-ntAKBPHog
There are some other videos too - if you search for wildlifedirect and gorilla you will come up with a bunch. But this one I am linking is the Rugendo family.
This one is quite funny too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP19khh25Gc
I get teary every time I see that photo of Safari and Ndeze. Everyone was so excited when Ndeze was born. Still the fighting continues and for what? Not for the benefit of the Congolese people or their endangered wildlife, but for the agrandissement of a few men.
s.
Okay I am shedding tears again…Oh how sad this is. God they are sooo beautiful. My hearts breaks again. I hate (and shouldnt I guess) these men that have basically destroyed this family. I know you shouldnt hate but what the crap, how are we suppossed to feel here?
To all the rangers Please, Please be safe and keep your own safe. You guys ARE making a diffrence.
Love and Peace to all…..
It still makes me cry everytime I see the pictures of the massacred gorillas, its such a sad loss, they are absolutely beautiful creatures so full of personality, I don’t know how you guys coped seeing it up close. It breaks my heart to thinks anything could be happening to them right now. All we can do is pray they are safe.
OK y’all, I have the bare bones of a contact information page up on my blog (link is right up there in my name). Look for the tab on the right at the top that reads “Wildlife Direct.” I need more info because it’s far from a comprehensive list. Must get to my job now.
s.
What happened to them is so horrible, I don’t know how you guys could stand seeing it…..Thank you for sharing this amazing tribute, these creatures are just so beautiful it’s sooo very sad what happened to them…..
Such a beautiful family and an incredibly tragic loss. I will never forget. I have the gorgeous painting of Senkwekwe that Robin did for the auction. It sits right here above my computer and it reminds me to keep writing, keep lobbying, keep fighting for these beautiful beings. I don’t know how effective I have been, but with Anderson Cooper just there, I feel like somebody has heard us. I will keep writing until there is peace, stability, an end to the fuel problems, and the local people are helped with community enrichment programs. And then, I’ll come see for myself in person, just how gorgeous and majestic the mountain gorilla really is and how beautiful your country and it’s people are. Thank you Rangers for all that you do. You are the biggest hope for these wonderful creatures. THANK YOU! Lisa
Tears are streaming down my face…
All I can say is THANK YOU yet again for everything everyone is doing, the rangers for being out there everyday, the people writing these blogs… everyone. Innocent, and Diddy thank you for the beautiful pictures, and memories (the happy ones).
Peace,
~Mary
I’m totally speechless.. I can not read the story or watch the pictures without tears filling my eyes.. We have to support the Rangers and give them also financial support in order for them to be able to live and protect the gorillas. Thank you so much for what you are doing!
I wrote: “OK y’all, I have the bare bones of a contact information page up on my blog (link is right up there in my name). Look for the tab on the right at the top that reads “Wildlife Direct.” I need more info because it’s far from a comprehensive list.”
Eh, scratch that.
s.
Thank you Mary for your $100 donation today. I am putting two and two together, but I am pretty sure it is you. Samantha
Oh Mary your such an angel….I told my husband he was gonna have to match what I raise at my company when I am done selling pies (up to 77.00 now). I am also hoping that MY company will also match the funds that I am raising, crossing my fingers….
Happy Halloween to all…
Just wrote 60 Minutes and thanked them and Anderson Cooper for being there and doing a story on the Gorillas and the Rangers. I can’t wait to see it. I imagine it will be a little while still before the show airs, but if anyone runs across information on when it will air, please share. Thanks. Lisa
Thank you Diddy and Innocent for share with us this wonderful photos of our babies, our beloved gorillas. All of them will live in my mind and in my heart forever… Some memories are so sad…
Ok looked at these photos again..and it just pisses me off so bad that people can be so cruel!!!!!!!! They purposely killed all the reproducing females………just makes me sick!!!!!!! It is just a great thing that so many people really care about these innocent creatures!!!!!!! It seemed Senkeweke was so trusting of humans he knew!
It’s interesting that the woman of the Congo suffer severe, cruel acts as well. The female holds life. This is very powerful and I guess many feel threatend by that. The question is why? Lisa
Thank you, Sam for this wonderful post. It’s hard to be brought back to that terrible day.
Hi Stephanie,
It is wonderful you are working so hard, selling those pies of yours. I hope your company matches the donation as well… that would be spectacular. Not only are you raising money, but you are making other people aware of this situation. They may in turn do the same, a domino effect!
Samantha, it was me. It was the least I could do. I often sell my clothes that I am tired of on ebay so I can make money to buy new clothes. I don’t need clothes, but the rangers, and all of the other helpers, do need to support their families, buy supplies, and stay safe in order for the gorillas, and other wildlife to stay protected!
~Mary
It so hard to imagine the cruelty behind their murders. I coudln’t stop from crying when I first saw your post this morning. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t wonder how the remainder of the family are doing. Thank you Innocent & Diddy for sharing the Rugendo family’s photos.
Wow, that’s great Stephanie! You, too Mary.
What a wonderful post Innocent. If it’s sad for us, I cant imagine how badly you feel. My thought are with you and your colleagues.
Samantha, I would like to know how much does one Ranger need funds on a monthly basis to support his family? I don’t have any idea of the loiving cost in Congo and the information would help a lot in determining how much I will donate from now on.
That is a very good question Pirjo…Yes Samantha I would like to know if it is possible….Mary and all you guys are the best, everyone on here is…All of our goals ARE the same to save this great species of apes.
Peace to all….Steph
Hi Sheryl, I noticed you’d posted a comment on the slaughter of the dolphins, I posted you a little message on there, it is absolutely disgusting these are mammals and have the same feelings as us. Anyone reading the news at the minute will see all about it and should get in touch with the PM of Japan to put and end to this barbaric slaughter. I’ve posted on here just in case noone has seen this yet.
That was you? I wasn’t sure so I sent you an e-mail suggesting you join us here. Ha! Thanks for dropping by and spreading the word about the Japan dolphin slaughter.
s.
Hey I just read there is a breakout of Cholrea in the congo. Jesus will this affect the gorillas?? How close does the disease have to get to the gorillas for them to catch it??/ This doenst sound good to me.
Dear Innocent, Thank you for such a heartfelt and sensitive post! It brought back the feelings I had when I read about this massacre in July. I cried for those who were lost and I am frightened for the others who remain threatened.
We must never forget the ones who were murdered, I only hope we can protect the ones who survive.
I hope Anderson’s report will bring much needed new attention to their struggle.
The courageous rangers certainly need the help and the funding. They are truly wonderful people.
Samantha thanks for inviting me to join the blog!
I thought I would share with all of you the response I got back from my State Senator Barbara Boxer, regarding a letter I sent about the charcoal logging going on in Virunga National Park:
Dear Friend:
Thank you for writing to me in support of S.1930, the Combat Illegal Logging Act of 2007. I appreciate hearing from you, and I share your concerns.
As you may know, rampant illegal logging has a devastating environmental, economic, and social impact. It destroys important wildlife and plant habitat, costs governments worldwide about $15 billion in lost revenue, and has been tied to corruption, social conflicts, and other illicit activity in developing nations. As the world’s largest consumer of wood products, we have a responsibility to help solve the serious problem of illegal logging.
To address this issue, Congress is working to expand the Lacey Act, which prohibits the trade, sale, or purchase of illegally acquired fish, wildlife, or plants. The bipartisan Combat Illegal Logging Act would amend the Lacey Act to expand protection to illegally harvested timber and timber products.
S.1930 is currently being considered by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. I support the goals of this legislation and intend to support it should it come to the Senate floor.
Again, thank you for contacting me. As a leader in the fight for strong environmental policies, I will continue my efforts to protect our environment and the world’s natural resources.
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator
Lisa, and everyone else, here’s your chance to lobby your Congressional reps to support the amendment to help end illegal logging. Orangs have about 20 years before their extinct in the wild. You can help prevent that from happening.
http://nothoney.wordpress.com/2007/11/01/orangutan-extinction-in-20-years-take-action-to-stop-illegal-logging/
s.
I tried to send my contact per the above website for the Orangs..and it said I couldn’t participate??? Not sure why…maybe has something to do with the senators here in Texas?? Thanks for fighting the fight all of you who care and are so passionate about animals!
Hello Pirjo and Stephanie. It costs $244 per month to sponsor one of the Advance Force rangers. Go to this link and it will explain:
http://wildlifedirect.org/elie/2007/09/05/my-rangers-and-what-you-can-do-to-help/
The Advance Force as you know is made up of 49 men, commanded by Elie Mundima who blogs at wildlifedirect.org/elie
This Advance Force is deployed throughout the park as emergencies dictate. 2/3 of them were working in the south after the July massacre, but with the latest fighting they have headed up north again because there is nothing they can do here. So they are patroling up north again. WildlifeDirect and Zoological Society of London also pay salary bonuses to the rest of the Rangers in Virunga. We have to consider Virunga National Park as a whole when paying Rangers. You cannot pay some, and not others. It just won’t work - if you think about it.
I will actually soon be doing a post on this to explain further, and that we desperately need more funds to pay Rangers. So you can either a. sponsor a member of the Advance Force for $244 per month (email info at wildlifedirect dot org and Virginia will get back to you) or donate on this blog to the salary of $40. That is kind of an average if you like. Let me know if you need any more info. Thanks guys… Sam
Annie/Texas: the alert is restricted to Senators in certain states, apparently. Please visit your Senator’s home pages and contact them through their e-mail or fax of phone information. I think Defenders is limiting their campaign to those Senators who are on the fence.
s.
And Steph I don’t believe the cholera outbreak would affect the Mountain Gorillas. You could check with Lucy at Gorilla Doctors. I don’t believe it will. There are only combattants near the gorillas for a start.
Words completely fail me to describe the disgust and repulsion I feel for anyone who could cause pain to any living creature, let alone magnificent beasts such as these.
If there is any natural justice in the universe, the warmongers will hopefully die by the very sword they live by and ROT IN HELL!
Diddy and Innocent: I want you to know that earlier this week on October 29 and 30 I visited the office of three US Senators and two US Congressmen in Washington, DC asking for their support in ending the violence in the eastern Congo. I was encouraged by the response of all the people I talked to and hope to see a resolution brought before the Congress soon asking the US State Department to increase efforts to help both people and wildlife in the Virungas. You need to know that if it was not for your efforts and reports in this blog I might not have been encouraged to take such steps. Don’t give up hope. You and your families are always in my thoughts and prayers. Rick LoBello (rickllobello@cs.com, http://www.iloveparks.com).
As of SUNDAY morning, LOLA YA BONOBO is one of the charities on SEARCHKINDLY. Everyone please VOTE. Given how awful I feel about our beloved gorillas, voting gives me the sense that I am doing something, even if it is something small.
[…] out the judicial proceedings against those suspected of involvement in the July massacre of the Rugendo family and the trafficking of the infant female Mountain Gorilla in September that was found […]
[…] picture link below to see a short video National Geographic has done on the July massacre of the Rugendo family of Mountain Gorillas. […]
[…] I am with my colleague Pierre Ndeze. His grandfather was a tribal chief who died in February. Ndeze, the Mountain Gorilla daughter of Safari who is now orphaned in Goma after the Rugendo massacre, is […]
[…] Silverback executed in July. Mapuwa and Ruzirabwoba are also his brothers. Humba was born into the Rugendo family and has been a Silverback since 1998, so he is aged roughly between 20 and 22 […]
[…] Brent is also the photographer who was here last July when Rugendo and his family were massacred. So he was kind enough to bring us some photos that we can use on […]
buy xanax online without prescription