The sudden killing of the head of his family has pressed 17-year-old Rwamutwe to step up to keep the others safe and together. As they strip branches and mind their young, his regular, rumbling grunts reassure them that all is well. The Nkuringo mountain gorilla group was one of Uganda’s first to be habituated to humans, and tourist visits since 2004 have raised millions of pounds towards the endangered species’ conservation. But Rwamutwe is now head because the charismatic Rafiki, who had led the family for 12 years until June, was mortally wounded by a poacher’s spear. His death caused an international outcry and fears that a priceless conservation asset would be lost if his distraught relatives scattered, or a wild silverback took over and

Source: The Times November 29, 2020 18:01 UTC