Stung by news from the Congo’s Virunga National Park on the depressing fate of hippos being hunted by poachers, I had a hunt around on the Net and located a web site which enables donations to WildLifeDirect (www.wildlifedirect.org), an organisation really on the front line in the fight against the people who are devastating the animal population. (Pictured above: the rangers at work).

BBC News reported earlier this week that if the poaching continues at the same rate as now all the hippo in Virunga will be gone in months. It’s a story they have been covering for months but the international community seems to be doing little about it. Maybe there’s not enough oil to worry about.

To learn more about Congo Rangers and crisis being encountered in Virunga National Park , visit this blog: www.wildlifedirect.org/congo-rangers

You can also donate towards Virunga Widows’ Fund (www.virungafund.org). This is a fund for supporting the widows of Congo Rangers who have been killed during active service.

The Rangers are literally risking their lives to try and save wildlife. Thanking them for their efforts with a donation strikes me as a better way to spend money at Christmas.

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

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