Rafiki was found dead on 2nd June with serious wounds to his abdomen. He was the leader of the Nkuringo group, made up of 17 mountain gorillas who were popular with tourist visitors and highly habituated, meaning they were used to human contact. There are currently less than 1000 mountain gorillas left in the wild, and the loss of Rafiki is said to be a devasting blow for the species. Roughly half of the remaining population reside in this particular national park.
If convicted, the poachers will face a life sentence or a fine of over $5million.
