Ugandan authorities are holding four local hunters tracked a day after a 25-year-old rare mountain gorilla named Rafiki was killed-local reports say.
Rafiki’s remains – the gorilla was found dead at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on June 1st. He was the leader of a group of 17 mountain gorillas, before Rafiki ‘s death. He went missing June 1st and a search party found his body the next day.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) team began a major hunt for assailants and found them in a village nearby. The hunter was discovered using hunting gear.
According to a statement by Uganda Wildlife Authority, he admitted he and three others had been hunting smaller animals in the park and killed Rafiki in self-defense when he was attacked.
The four men have been arrested, and if found guilty of killing an endangered species they face a life sentence or a $5.4 m fine.
Investigations by Ugandan authorities indicate that the sharp object that pierced through the internal organs killed Rafiki.
Bashir Hangi, of the UWA stated “The death of Rafiki leaves the group unstable and there is the possibility that it could disintegrate.”
He added that “It (group) has no leadership at this time and it could be taken over by a wild silverback.”
“Rafiki was very popular with people who had come to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park,” Hangi said.
Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are home to a little over 1000 remaining species of mountain gorillas. The three countries confined mountain gorillas to areas protected.