The Ugandan native received 11 years for killing a gorilla, CNN reports. The man admitted his guilt. According to him, he killed the monkey in self-defense when he unexpectedly stumbled upon it.
A silver gorilla named Rafiki (Swahili for “friend”) was part of a famous family that lived in Bwindi National Park. The family of very rare animals was very popular with tourists and was one of the main attractions of Uganda.
National park rangers lost Rafiki on June 1st. The next day they found a body in the forest, Rafiki was killed with a sharp object in the stomach. On June 4, rangers arrested a suspicious man and confiscated boar meat and weapons from him. The poacher’s accomplices were also arrested; they are awaiting another trial, since they pleaded not guilty.