Uganda: Four men arrested for killing popular 25-year-old gorilla Rafiki at UNESCO park

Ugandan wildlife authorities have arrested four men in connection with the killing of a 25-year-old popular male gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on Friday, June 12. The silverback gorilla, named Rafiki, was the leader of the Nkuringo - a gorilla group and was hugely popular among tourists. Rafiki went missing on June 1 and his body was found the next day after a search operation was launched by the wildlife authority. UWA in an official statement informed that a detailed investigation was carried out following the death of the Silverback gorilla and the post-mortem report revealed that the ape sustained an injury by a sharp device/object that penetrated the left upper part of his abdomen, injuring internal organs. READ | Gorilla weighing 210 kilograms airlifted from Johannesburg zoo for medical examination The statement further revealed that UWA investigators had found the main suspect in a nearby village on June 4. At the time of arrest, the suspect was caught with the meat of bush pig and several other hunting devices including a spear, rope snares, wires snares, and a dog hunting bell. According to UWA, the man confessed to killing Rafiki in self-defence when he came upon the gorilla while hunting for a wild pig in the park. The four suspects are currently at Kisoro police station awaiting trial in the court of law. READ | Baby gorilla badly injured in family skirmish at Seattle zoo We have arrested four people over the death of Rafiki, the Silverback of Nkuringo Gorilla group in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. They will be prosecuted in the courts of law. See statement below; pic.twitter.com/Hf17vfsmL3 — Uganda Wildlife (@ugwildlife) June 12, 2020 About Nkuringo group Rafiki belonged to the famous Nkuringo group: the first group to be habituated in the park in 1997. At the time of Rafiki's death, the group had 17 members, including one silverback (Rafiki), three blackbacks, eight adult females, two juveniles, and three infants. READ | 'Selfless love': Gorilla reunites with human friend after 12 years, watch READ | Mike Tyson once offered a zookeeper $10,000 to let him fight a silverback gorilla

Advertisement

Uganda: Four men arrested for killing popular 25-year-old gorilla Rafiki at UNESCO park

Ugandan wildlife authorities have arrested four men in connection with the killing of a 25-year-old popular male gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Advertisement