Coronavirus causes poaching spike in Congo's Virunga park

FILE PHOTO: A gorilla family is seen at the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo in this picture released on July 15, 2020. Virunga National Park/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

(Reuters) - When rangers in Congo's Virunga National Park discovered three-year-old baby gorilla Theodore tangled in a poacher's snare this month, they knew they had to act fast.

Theodore's left hand was caught in the illegal trap, potentially restricting blood flow and causing infection if left untended. But before they could do anything, they had to deal with his over-protective parents.