Soldier Killed by Hippo While Fishing Illegally in DR Congo Park

A Democratic Republic of Congo soldier was killed by a hippo while fishing illegally in Virunga National Park’s Lake Edward.

Despite the ban on fishing in Lake Edward, a member of Democratic Republic of Congo government forces, along with five others, were poaching fish from the lake when a hippo overturned their boat.

The hippo then killed the soldier, who reportedly was unable to swim, according to AFP news sources.

Is this incident a moment of karmic justice?

Perhaps: It turns out that military forces are ruthlessly poaching wildlife – including hippos – in Virunga National Park.

Virunga National Park’s wildlife under assault

Armed government forces operating inside the park are having a catastrophic effect on the animals in the area, which is home to some of the world’s last Mountain gorillas.

Virunga National Park, DR Congo, reported that 8 hippos, 6 elephants, and a female lion were slaughtered by FARDC government soldiers in the central sector of the park during in the month of August.

In June, Innovation for Development and Environmental Protection (IDPE) released shocking images of elephants that were murdered by government FARDC soldiers in Kapopi, which is in the Southern sector of the park near Mabenga. IDPE is an association for the defense of animals rights in North Kicu, DR Congo.

Last year, 13 elephants were killed in 13 days during the month of April, according to The Gorilla Organization.

This intensive poaching is devastating the national park and has renewed existing fears that as long as the armed forces continue to operate inside the forest, the national park and its inhabitants continue to be in danger.

This situation is extremely worrying for conservationists and ecologists. Elephants reproduce slowly and the loss of such a large number of individuals could have grave consequences for the elephant population and the ecosystem of the national park as a whole.

Sadly, these atrocities are just a few examples of what is happening to Virunga National Park’s wildlife at the hands of government armed forces.

Visit Gorilla.cd to learn more about what you can do to help protect Virunga National Park.

Image source: flickr.com / CC BY-ND 2.0