Congo Troops protect chimps from volcano lava - lNew Scientist

Congo Troops protect chimps from volcano lava - New Scientist

UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are using their aircraft to help protect endangered chimpanzees and other wildlife following a volcanic eruption in Virunga National Park.

Nyamulagira, one of two active volcanoes inside the park, started erupting early on 2 January (PDF). The lava has since moved 4 kilometres in three days. Luckily it has gone south, away from major human settlements and Virunga's famous mountain gorillas, which are further east.

But another endangered ape, the 40 eastern chimpanzees that live on Nyamulagira itself, could still be at risk if they are surrounded by lava, and as the plants they rely on for food become coated by abrasive volcanic ash. Park officials hope animals in the lava's path will simply move away from it. "Our rangers say birds and animals in the area are behaving in a disturbed way," boosting hopes that they will move, says park spokesperson Samantha Newport.