Rare Silverback Gorilla ‘Rafiki’ Killed by Hunters in Uganda
With around only 1,000 mountain gorillas left in the world, his death is a significant blow to conservation.
Rafiki. Credit: Uganda Wildlife Authority
Rafiki, the well-known leader of a group of 17 mountain gorillas, has died after being speared by hunters in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda.
Four men have been arrested for the death of the 25-year-old silverback gorilla, and face a possible life sentence.
Whilst Rafiki is the first mountain gorilla to be killed at the hands of humans in nine years, his death is a significant blow to conservation, as just over 1,000 mountain gorillas are left in existence.
Rafiki leaves behind the ‘Nkuringo’ group of 16 mountain gorillas - 3 blackbacks, 8 adult females, 2 juveniles and 3 infants. The group is popular with tourists, having been accustomed to human contact.
But with the loss of Rafiki, the group’s only mature male, conservationists now fear for their future.
“The death of Rafiki leaves the group unstable and there is the possibility that it could disintegrate", Bashir Hangi from the Uganda Wildlife Authority told the BBC.
"It has no leadership at this time and it could be taken over by a wild silverback", Hangi adds. A new wild silverback would mean the group would likely stay away from humans, which could ultimately harm tourism in the area.
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