The chief warden of Africa's oldest and most biodiverse national park was shot Tuesday, the latest incident in a years-long string of violence that has plagued a part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo known for its mountain gorillas and hippos.

Belgian prince Emmanuel de Merode, 43, was ambushed on a road in Virunga National Park, according to Joanna Natasegara, a spokesperson for the park. More than 140 rangers have been killed in the line of duty there in the past decade, she said.

Merode was shot in the stomach and legs with four bullets as he traveled alone on a main road, en route from the nearby city of Goma to Rumangabo Ranger Headquarters. "He is in a very