GORILLA POACHING

An undercover investigation has found that up to two gorillas are killed and sold as bushmeat each week in Kouilou, a region of the Republic of Congo. The apes' body parts are then taken downriver and passed on to traders who sell them in big-city markets.

Conducted by the conservation group Endangered Species International, the investigation helps expose the extent of gorilla poaching in the country. It fears hundreds more gorillas may be taken each year outside the region.

"According to interviews and field surveys, we think we may have about 200 gorillas left in the area" says Mr Fidenci, president of Endangered Species International (ESI).

The poachers particularly target adult gorillas of reproductive age which carry the most meat. With such heavy hunting, the researchers believe gorillas could disappear from the region within a decade.