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Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)

Democratic Republic of Congo: New Nature Reserve Created to Protect Great Apes

Date: November 20th, 2007 | No Comments

In conjunction with U.S. agencies and conservation groups, Congo has established a new rain forest reserve of almost 12,000 square miles for the bonobo, an ape sometimes called a pygmy chimpanzee that is more closely related to humans than to gorillas. The apes live only in the heart of the Congo Basin, Africa’s largest rain [read more]

Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)

Date: December 19th, 2001 | No Comments

A cease-fire agreement to end the long civil war here was signed July 10 by all of the principal players in the conflict except the rebels trying to overthrow Laurent Kabila’s government. Until the rebels are on board there’s little hope that the cease-fire [read more]

Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)

Date: May 30th, 2001 | No Comments

Optimistic park officials hope that Virunga National Park in northeastern Congo, near Goma, will reopen soon, but it’s hard to imagine that many visitors will be eager to go until security can be assured. Tourism officials and wildlife guides face an uphill struggle with news that the civil war, which has abated but could reignite [read more]

DR Congo: Rebels Take Over Virunga National Park, Threaten Mountain Gorillas

Date: September 5th, 2007 | No Comments

Virunga National Park, home of the rare mountain gorillas in eastern Congo on the borders with Uganda and Rwanda, has been overrun by a rebel army fighting government forces. Some 10,000 refugees have fled to Uganda and park rangers have been forced to evacuate, leaving the gorillas unprotected. Fighting has occurred in the park and [read more]

Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)

Date: November 27th, 2001 | No Comments

Crime is escalating in Kinshasa as the holiday season approaches, and expatriates and diplomats are often the target. The perpetrators seem to be Congolese military personnel who haven’t been paid or who are paid only sporadically. In a Nov. 22 incident, two Americans and a British national were attacked in their home by seven armed [read more]