Thousands flee fighting as Congo rebels seize gorilla park

[NeoConsSuck]

Source: CNN.COM

Congolese rebels seized a major military camp and a spacious gorilla park in a renewed bout of heavy fighting that sent thousands fleeing, according to the United Nations and park officials.

The rebels have used Virunga Park as a base but have never seized its headquarters before.

The 3,000 square mile (7,800 square kilometer) park has a gorilla facility and is home to 200 of the 700 endangered mountain gorillas in existence.

"Over 50 rangers were forced to flee into the forests and abandon the park station, in fear of their lives," the park statement said.

"They have seized the entire gigantic infrastructure which is stategically very close to the main road heading north into Goma," said park spokeswoman Samantha Newport by phone from Goma, about 40 kilometers from the fighting.

"The situation is eastern Congo is very dangerous," she said. "It's the first time they've ever had the audacity" to take over the park.

She said the gorillas and other wildlife in the park are in danger of getting caught in the crossfire.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/10/26/congo.gorillapark/index.html

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The human race: Bad for the planet and it's inhabitants.

[Coventina]

1. What you said...

The best thing that could happen to this planet is the eradication of our species....

:-(

[clear eye]

3. Unfortunately, when we take ourselves down, we'll bring the rest of the mammals down w/us.

I was watching a documentary on global warming, and had to turn it off when they started talking about how global warming might kill the oceans' phytoplankton, causing the oceans to die and altering the composition of the air into something unsustainable for mammals and many others.

Scenarios concerning humans making ourselves extinct are mostly like this--devastating to the rest of Earth's animal life as well. That's why I didn't watch the Science Channel's silly documentary on what Earth would be like if humans disappeared. Made no sense, unless you believe in the rapture, and even then, the prophecies on the Apocolypse sound pretty unfriendly to animal life.

[Speciesamused]

5. I agree. You cannot upset the circle of life

and not expect it to affect all of us.

[Democat]

2. I am generally against the death penalty...

...but if these rebels start killing mountain gorillas, I hope they get what they deserve.

[uppityperson]

4. k&r for a tumultuous part of the planet.