Africa’s Most Dangerous Conservation ProjectJanuary 30, 2025 Dear Subscriber First Name, The recent news of M23 rebels taking control of parts of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has left me deeply concerned for the humanitarian crisis and the fate of Virunga National Park. This remarkable park, Africa’s most spectacular, lies within a region long ravaged by conflict, where rebel groups battle over the control of mineral-rich land. Virunga is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. No park in Africa offers such a vast array of ecosystems, stretching 300 kilometers (190 miles) along the Great Rift Valley from Lake Kivu to the Rwenzori Mountains and spanning elevations from at 680 to 5,110 meters (2,230 to 16,765 feet). Within the park’s boundaries, Nyiragongo, the world’s deadliest volcano (as described by National Geographic), looms over the city of Goma. This highly active volcano houses one of the largest lava lakes on Earth—miles deep and over 200 m (700 ft) across. Virunga’s unmatched biodiversity includes endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and the elusive okapi. But rebel groups, including M23, have used the park as a hideout, further restricting access and endangering both the local population and the wildlife within the park. In recent years, Virunga has been closed to tourists multiple times when violence escalated. Last year, my daughter Anna and I planned to visit Virunga from the Ugandan side, but upon arrival, we learned that the border had been closed due to the intensifying conflict. At the Ishasha border post, we met refugees from the DRC, and the experience was deeply moving. Uganda’s open refugee policy is admirable, but the reality of the situation is harrowing. Anna, in her innocence, tried to interact with the children, offering them Haribo gummies. But their distant, absent expressions spoke volumes of the trauma they had endured.
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