WILD BEAST SANCTUARY

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 6 February 1926, Page 11

WILD BEAST SANCTUARY

* VAST sanctuary for wild animals, to bo named "The Albert National Park,” in honour of Albert, King of the Belgians, is to be established in the Kiva. district of the Belgian Congo.

The primary object of the sanctuary, savs the bulletin of the New York Zoo logical Society, is the preservation of "the easterly outpost colony of the East African gorillas,” the few remaining specimens of which have therefound a. ’cfuge. The roj-al decree of King Albert forbids the killing or hunting of any kind of wild animals, including even harmful animals —the destruction of eggs or nests of wild birds, o,: the cutting down of any uncultivated plant or tree. Pro-

vision is nni.lo to protect *>«« rights as the gathering 01 wood for fuel.

The area of the sanctuary is tiproxiimiteiv 100 square miles, whilst it r to be' surrounded, on the Congo muc, bv another reservation, under lm* severe restrictions, covering about W square miles, and extending to the shores of Lake Kiva.

It is proposed to establish, in thc Albert National Park a biological labwhore scientist-, from all over tlm world may come and make a coio oi'eal and meteorological observations, ns well as study the fauna and flora ot the Congo in their natural conditions.