An eco-guard from Kahuzi-Biega National Park was killed by armed men on Sunday 31 May in the village of Kafulumaye, in Kabare territory, South Kivu, the park’s management announced in a statement.

The conservation officer, identified as Nziyunvira Juhudi Prince, was shot whilst attempting to assist a woman who had been injured during armed clashes in the village.

According to the park management, he had initially taken shelter at a local woman’s home before venturing out during an apparent lull in the fighting to assist the victim. It was at this point that he was reportedly targeted and killed.

The exact circumstances of the incident remain unclear. Park authorities state that, at this stage, there is no evidence to establish a direct link between the ranger’s death and his duties within the protected area.

In its statement, the management of Kahuzi-Biega National Park condemned the attack and called on its staff to remain extra vigilant. It also reiterated that the eco-guards are bound by a principle of neutrality and do not take part in any armed conflict.

This latest loss highlights the ongoing deterioration of the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where biodiversity conservation officers operate in an environment marked by the presence of numerous armed groups. A few weeks earlier, two rangers from Virunga National Park were killed during an attack on a surveillance post on the southern shore of Lake Edward.

Researchers have been warning for several years about the consequences of this insecurity for nature conservation. In a study published in January 2026 in the International Journal of Scientific Research, researchers highlight that conflicts over land use, the overlap between customary lands and protected areas, and the presence of armed groups are contributing to the weakening of governance in the country’s eastern protected areas, particularly in the Virunga, Kahuzi-Biega and Lomami landscapes.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, Kahuzi-Biega National Park is one of the main refuges for the eastern lowland gorilla, an endangered species whose survival depends largely on conservation efforts in this vast forest in South Kivu.

Written by Victoire Katembo Mbuto

(Image provided by Kahuzi-Biega National Park with its kind permission)