Rafiki, Uganda's rare silverback mountain gorilla, killed by hunters
Source: BBC
Rafiki, Uganda's rare silverback mountain gorilla, killed by hunters
12 June 2020
One of Uganda's best known mountain gorillas, Rafiki, has been killed.
Four men have been arrested, and they face a life sentence or a fine of $5.4m (£4.3m) if found guilty of killing an endangered species.
Investigations showed that Rafiki was killed by a sharp object that penetrated his internal organs.
There are just over 1,000 mountain gorillas in existence and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) described Rafiki's death as a "very big blow".
The silverback, believed to be around 25-years-old when he died in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, was the leader of a group of 17 mountain gorillas.
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Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53024073
Rafiki was thought to be 25 years old when he died (Uganda Wildlife Authority)