Every now and then, along comes a story that truly makes me hate humans.
I sincerely believe this planet would have been better of without us.
At least, one species would have been!
"Congo violence imperils mountain gorillas" by Eddy Isango/Associated Press October 8, 2007
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo - Rebels have seized an area in eastern Congo that serves as a wildlife habitat for endangered mountain gorillas, threatening one of the last known populations of the animals, conservationists said yesterday.
[I don't know if I can live through an extinction of these beautiful, wonderful animals that I love.
Would Fatima, daughter of the prophet, collect tears shed for animals?]
Shelling and heavy gunfire could be heard from the headquarters of the Virunga National Park, and rangers were forced to flee during the weekend, the international conservation group WildlifeDirect said.
Only 700 mountain gorillas exist in the world, of which more than half live in the Virunga conservation area, a huge swath of territory at the intersection of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.
Rebels loyal to warlord Laurent Nkunda have frequently battled over the park in their clashes with the army. Caught in the cross fire are the rare gorillas, 10 of which have been killed this year.
Emmanuel de Merode, the director of the international conservation group WildlifeDirect:
"This is a human conflict that is involving the mountain gorillas. They are not a target, but can so easily get caught in cross fire and shelling."
[Another reason to end wars; an even greater one than us killing ourselves.
Who gives a shit about humans anymore? Not me!]
Norbert Mushenzi, director of the southern section of the park for the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature:
"We still cannot protect our gorillas. This conflict has no place in the park, least of all in the habitat of these animals. We hope they will be unharmed."
[Left with nothing but hopes, huh?
Sob!]
The area containing the mountain gorillas was also attacked in January, when two silverbacks were killed. Four months ago, the dead body of a female gorilla was found. Conservationists say she was killed execution style.
[Have you seen the pictures, reader?]
International wildlife groups concerned about the welfare of the gorillas are funding a $100,000-crisis management program to increase the number of rangers patrolling the habitat.
[Yup, BILLIONS for WARS and DEATH, but the world can't spend a few measly million on SAVING these MAJESTIC BEINGS?!!
And yes, I do weep for them.
Wouldn't you?]
Lucy Fauveau of the London Zoological Society:
"This appalling security situation is making it virtually impossible to implement the emergency program. There is a lot that we need to be doing, and we simply can't."
Virunga National Park, established in 1925 as Africa's first national park, is in a lawless region of eastern Congo that the country's government has struggled to bring under control for years."
Maybe I am crazy, but to me, reader, he is real.
After all, he does have family in the world, reader.
In fact, I think I will go escape this horrible, terrible world for a few hours this afternoon and spend time on the old island with him.
Is it sad or surprising that a movie-screen character teaches us more about love than we humans seem to be able to teach ourselves, readers?
