The news that park ranger, Rachel Masika Baraka was killed by the kidnappers after an ambush in the Virunga National Park, saddened many environmentalists but was not shocking. The 25-year-old ranger is the eighth to be murdered at the park just this year. The kidnapping happened in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) section of the park when Gorillas also injured a Congolese driver and kidnapped two Britons. All three were released a little later. The three people were held when their vehicle was ambushed in Virunga National Park early this month (May 2018). The Britons who were released later paid tribute to the “excellent support” they had received and said they would not comment any further.
The Park director Emmanuel de Merode stated that Ranger Baraka’s life was tragically cut short in service to Virunga National Park. She was one of the park’s 26 female rangers and was highly committed, showing true bravery in her work.
Virunga National Park covers some 3,000 sq miles (7,800 sq km) that stretches in three countries Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda. The park, which is a UNESCO world heritage site, is home to critically-endangered mountain gorillas, lions, elephants and hippos.
Every year tourists travel to Rwanda and Uganda as the two most favorite places to hike up through lush hiking trails to see the world famous mountain Gorillas. While these two countries offer daily hiking tours protected by armed park rangers, the tourists in eastern DRC have been warned against traveling to the area (on the DRC side). A number of news outlets have reported that tourists are sometimes left very vulnerable as a result of trying to travel independently without escorted transport, and the risk of kidnap or injury as a result of armed or criminal activity are high.
This incident highlights the dangers and challenges park rangers face every day in order to protect tourists and at the same time create a way for them (tourists) to see these amazing UNESCO national parks and the protected animals in their own habitats.
