An infant mountain gorilla has been confiscated from poachers by Rwandan police in the town of Gisenyi on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Police arrested the Congolese poachers holding the infant as well as two Rwandans who were helping the poachers. The gorilla had been captured near the Bukima area of Virunga National Park, according to the poachers, indicating that it belongs to a critically endangered population. The poachers claimed they kept the gorilla for about six days, feeding him bananas and sugar cane until attempting to smuggle him to Rwanda.
Veterinarians from Mountain Gorilla Veterinarian Project (MGVP), partners of Virunga National Park, took the infant gorilla, estimated at about 8-months-old, to the orphan care facility of Kinigi in Rwanda where they will perform a full health check. According to the veterinarians, the infant seems to be strong despite suffering from a bad cough and runny nose.
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