Sheryl’s worried…
Category: Uncategorized | Date: Dec 05 2008 | By: lolayabonobo
One of our favourite adoptive parents, Sheryl, said about the post ‘happy thanksgiving’:
This is where my animal rights ethics and wildlife conservation interests do not mesh. I believe every individual is important, and that sacrificing some for the good of the species is wrong. Personally, I’d prefer a well-armed patrol to protect the bonobos who are going to be released. This plan makes me queasy.
I understand how you feel, sheryl, and believe me, it is going to be tough to see any of the bonobos die, and some of them will. But we have to find a way to successfully release bonobos. we can’t wait until they are all almost dead before we figure out a way that works.
I also used to think armed protection was best, but how do you protect an area that’s 20,000 hectares? You’d need thousands of men and even they couldn’t do it. How do you stop them using their guns to shoot other animals? Congo is crawling with armed men, and none of them have any qualms about using guns to extort the local population. And once you bring guns into it, you risk killing people, and this leads to village wars.
The people who know the land are the Po. The people who have the most to win from the bonobos surviving, are the Po. If you bring guns into it, then people will die, and in a country so rife with violence, let’s try the peaceful way first.
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4 Responses to “Sheryl’s worried…”
sheryl, washington, dc, on 06 Dec 2008
Well, the blog title certainly got my attention! You’re a cheeky one, Vanessa.
It’s true, I am worried, and I’ll bet I’m not the only bonobo supporter who is worried. We don’t know the Po and we’re not really clear on how it’s advantageous for them to protect the bonobos released in their area or how they’ll even manage to to that. From what we’ve been reading on other blogs, it seems that DRC is at war with itself in every possible area. Maybe there are some places that are more peaceful but the information we get paints a bleak picture for non-humans and humans alike.
I dunno, maybe some more detail on how this is all going to work would be helpful. For example, we can read about the Orangutan Foundation’s release program and how that’s managed and what successes and failures they’ve had? Will the bonobo release program be like that?
Thanks, Vanessa, for taking my concerns seriously. How is my little adopted daughter Lukuru doing now?
s.
Lynn Markert, on 08 Dec 2008
I just read a report by the Bonobo Initiative saying that there will be created an 11,803 square mile reserve in teh Tshuapa and Lommami River Basins called the Sankuru Nature Reserve. I’m wondering if Lola ya Bonobo works with the Bonobo Initiative at all and if this might be a place for release of our bonobos.
Christine C., on 09 Dec 2008
Ah Sheryl, as you know I certainly share your fears…I cannot even cope with the idea of Lomela, Kata, Lukuru, or any of the others being hurt in any way, especially since they have been so traumatized already. Of course in my heart I know we must be courageous and trust in Claudia and the others to do what is best…
lolayabonobo, on 10 Dec 2008
Hey Sheryl and other worried bonobo mums,
Claudine has been thinking about the release for years. She has scoured Congo, and by that I mean she has sailed, flown, driven and walked over countless miles to find the right place for the bonobos. She’s arranged contracts then pulled out because the community wasn’t supportive enough. She’s wrangled with the governments, local politicians and hunters to guarantee a safe place. She has a board of scientists who are working on this for her. She knows everyone who has released chimps and is talkign with them about their successes and failure. But the main reason I have so much faith in her is that she’s lived in Congo for 50 years. She’s survived two wars. I really believe she will make this work. She has to. Because if the bonobo population keeps goign the way it is, reintroduction will be the only way to replenish wild populations.
lukuru is fantastic. she sends you kisses.
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