In the south Pacific a vaguely similar problem in native poaching of endangered giant clams was solved with equal parts ecology and anthropology. The local people were educated about the giant clam populations and it became a point of pride for the tribe to keep a healthy population of wild, managed clams and defend them from outsiders.
Whenever there are economic factors in the decimation of a species, it becomes necessary to ensure that other economic factors are introduced which outweigh and counteract them.
The corporations which are funding the mining would need to be required to pay for the upkeep of locals whose job would be to protect the remaining gorilla populations, who would receive the necessary food and goods in order to live in addition to a stipend dependent upon the number of live, healthy gorillas in the area for which they are responsible, plus a bonus for protecting and even planting new gorilla habitat. They have food, so don't have to kill gorillas for meat, and they have incentive to protect the gorillas and their habitat.
This program would have to be paid for by the corporations, and it would require the support of the Congolese government and the international community in order to force them to do it. |
