Armed Conflicts, illicit wildlife activities hinder Virunga Park conservation in DR Congo

By Jean-Pierre

Virunga National Park, one of the oldest protected areas that is on the UNESCO world heritage list, marked its 100-anniversary on Monday 21 April amid challenges linked to biodiversity conservation and insecurity.

According to officials, 240 park rangers were killed in the line of duties, while protecting the Virunga National Park, located in the volatile North Kivu, since its creation in 1925.

Now, nearly half of the park is under direct threat from approximately 1,500 fighters belonging to armed groups such as the AFC/M23, the ADF-Ugandan rebels, Mai-Mai militias, and the FDLR-Rwandan rebels linked to the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis.

"For over twenty years, we have faced numerous attacks on park rangers. Nearly 220 of them have lost their lives. Between 2023 and 2024 alone, at least seven park rangers were killed. They work in extremely difficult conditions, often dictated by the general insecurity prevailing in the province," Emmanuel de Merode, Virunga National Park warden was quoted as saying.

According to the park warden, these negative forces generate up to USD 30 million annually from the illegal plundering of the park's natural resources, including timber, charcoal, wildlife, and rare minerals.

This war economy is draining this 790,000-hectare natural heritage, stretching from the savannahs to the icy peaks of the Rwenzori.
To cope with the intensification of attacks, the Virunga National Park authorities have begun strengthening the positions of their rangers, sheltering them as best they can from armed incursions, reported Actualite.cd, a local news website. Aerial deployments are also being considered to maintain minimal surveillance in the most unstable areas.

"This park is home to the greatest protected biodiversity in the world. It is also the park that has preserved this natural wealth with the most determination. We have also developed an aerial deployment system,” said the Virunga Park warden. “This includes the use of aircraft to avoid frequent ambushes on the roads. The convoy system has also been strengthened, with better equipment and vehicles, to minimize as much as possible the threats and dangers to which eco-guards are exposed during their travels,"

However, the challenges remain. "The Rumangabo station has not been operating for several months," complained the director of Virunga National Park, citing the constant pressure from AFC/M23 rebels in the South and Central sectors.

According to the park managers, several tourism and conservation activities within Virunga National Park are currently suspended due to the persistent insecurity caused by the presence of local armed groups, especially the AFC/M23 rebels.
The situation particularly affects important sites such as the Rumangabo ranger station, which has not been operating for some time.
According to a Virunga Park official, this paralysis hinders not only the protection of biodiversity, but also the development of ecotourism, which is vital for local communities.

The constant threat posed by the armed groups in the protected area prevents the resumption of activities, despite efforts to restore peace in the region, said the park managers.