Congo authorizes oil drilling in Virunga and Salonga parks, animals and habitats at risk

The dreaded government lash has arrived: now oil companies will be able to drill two natural parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo in search of black gold.

The two parks, the Virunga and the Salonga, are among the natural sites of Unesco and in particular the Salonga is the second largest rainforest in the world. Obviously, these two reserves are the natural habitat of many animals, including elephants, Congo peabads, drone (a species of primate decimated in recent years) and especially mountain gorillas, a threatened species of 39; extinction.

AP

Environmentalists and activists vigorously opposed the decision of the Congolese government, defining the choice "a risk to the ecosystem", but without result. According to the BBC, one fifth of the Virunga National Park will be open for oil. The executive approved a law that delegates to a commission to "declbadify" and thus trivialize a portion of the parks, including about 21% of Virunga Park.

AP

The decision provoked enormous indignation, especially on social networks, with thousands of messages against the Congolese government. The decision was described as "disgusting" and many wondered if it was possible to intervene in any way whatsoever.

Biologist Daniel Schneider wrote on Twitter that "the Virunga Park had already been closed to the public after the ranger attack, and we now find out that they are going to start drilling. suspect … The last mountain gorillas will be the victims of our greed for oil. " At the beginning of the year, indeed, rangers had announced the closure of park tourists at least until the end of the year 2019, after two English tourists had been kidnapped with their driver and that a park warden had been killed.

However, the dangers of drilling do not only concern damage to wildlife. It is feared, in fact, that excavations may release huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thus contributing to global warming.

I RGEN B & T / IMAGE FROM THE ALLIANCE / DPA / AP

For its part, the Congolese government It is argued that any intervention will take place "in respect and protection of plants and animals" ", but many doubt that this is true.

This is part of the dramatic political climate of the country, where Instability and violence are increasing, not only in the cities but also in the parks, where many armed groups and poachers have been identified, ready to plunder the wealth of the country's wildlife.

RGEN B & TZ / IMAGE OF THE ALLIANCE OF THE IMAGE / DPA / AP

L & # 39; Hope, now, for the salvation of mountain gorillas is that these large mammals move to other areas of the park. And yet, the only thing that is clear is that for the government, oil matters more than natural resources and the preservation of Congo's natural heritage.

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