logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2021
17m 28s

Gorillas, guns and oil

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is Africa’s oldest and largest wildlife park. Since 1925, it’s been home to some of the last mountain gorillas on earth. But it’s also home to armed militia groups and an ongoing battle for natural resources. The park’s rangers regularly put their lives on the line protecting the precious wildlife and the Congolese communities who live within the park’s boundaries. Two weeks ago, six rangers were killed. Emmanuel De Merode, the park’s director – who also happens to be a Belgian prince – tells us his extraordinary story. Despite huge challenges he remains optimistic that renewable energy and job creation can help steer the region’s next generation of Congolese away from a cycle of violence that has caused so much damage.

(Photo: A mountain gorilla in Virunga National Park. Credit: Thierry Falise for Getty)

Presenter: Vivienne Nunis Producer: Sarah Treanor

Up next
Yesterday
The impact of 'thirsty' data centres
We're in the US state of Georgia, where huge data centres need water to keep cool. But how is this need for cloud storage and AI capability affecting local residents and the environment?Presenter: Michelle Fleury Producer: Nathalie Jimenez(Image: Georgia resident Beverly Morris l ... Show More
17m 50s
Jul 8
Does university still get you a well-paid job?
Graduates are facing one of the toughest jobs markets in decades. We hear from students in India, the US and UK about whether they feel a university or college degree is worth it as we discuss the cost of attending university around the world and what your job prospects might be ... Show More
17m 27s
Jul 7
Returning to Ukraine?
The UN estimates that nearly seven million Ukrainians have left their home country since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Many have set up businesses in their new country - around 90,000 of those in Poland. We hear about the challenges they’ve faced, and the sectors ... Show More
17m 30s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2021
Women protecting wildlife from poachers
There are many thousands of people around the world trying to protect endangered species in their natural habitat – around one in ten of them are female but that number is growing. In Africa alone 18 different countries employ female park rangers. Kim Chakanetsa is joined by two ... Show More
27m 28s
Feb 2019
How Nepal Doubled its Tiger Population
Over the past 10 years, Nepal has almost doubled its population of Bengal tigers – it’s estimated the country now has 235 of the magnificent beasts. After years of decline, a combination of smart strategies has turned the tide. The army runs anti-poacher teams, using CCTV, data m ... Show More
24m 20s
Jul 2022
The return of the tigers
Tigers are making a remarkable comeback in Nepal. The small Himalayan nation is on track to become the first country to double its wild tiger population in the last decade. A new census will be released on International Tiger Day (29th of July). The recovery is the result of toug ... Show More
26m 28s
Feb 2024
Friends of the Congo: The Congolese Struggle for Self-Determination
Passy and Maurice from Friends of the Congo join Breht to discuss the history and the present of the Congo. Together, they discuss their organization, Passy's on-the-ground organizing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the history of the Congo, Patrice Lumumba and his legac ... Show More
1h 20m
Sep 2022
Inside the Epic World of Bertie Gregory
In a collaboration with National Geographic television, we follow 29-year-old adventurer and filmmaker Bertie Gregory on a nail-biting journey to some of the harshest, most spectacular corners of the world. Join guest host Drew Jones as he sits down with Gregory to discuss coming ... Show More
27m 9s
Jan 2012
Saving the Brazilian Amazon
The Amazon rainforest is perhaps the world's greatest single environmental asset. For years the accepted wisdom has been that the remorseless tide of destruction there is unstoppable. Justin Rowlatt travels to Brazil to question this conventional account and finds that over the l ... Show More
27m 58s
Oct 2022
What does President Tshisekedi have to say about climate, M23 and Messi?
Félix Tshisekedi is President of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s a country known to be one of the lungs of the world, but also wracked by conflict. The president sat down with the BBC’s Victoria Uwonkunda after more than three years in office. He recognises that DR Congo’s ... Show More
14m 59s
Jan 2024
Lady Tarzan and Ibadan Zoo
Max Pearson presents a collection of this week’s Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.We’re going wild for animals this week. We find out how the Ibadan Zoo became one of Nigeria’s biggest tourist attractions during the 1970s. Our guest Harriet Ritvo, professor of ... Show More
51m 50s
Apr 2024
How did a shy elephant charm a local community in Kenya?
“Davy became our friend.”Tales of conflict between animals and people are all too common across Africa. People have been cast off their land to make way for wildlife parks for tourists. Animals have attacked humans, poachers kill for tusks and scales, and large animals like eleph ... Show More
19m 32s
Jan 2023
The Lion House
This abandoned lodge in Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique has been reclaimed by local lions - a story deeply enmeshed in the larger history of the country.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-lion-house-gorongosa-mozambiqueFurther Reading: S is fo ... Show More
20m 59s