How Tourism Is Helping Gorillas And Healing Communities In Rwanda

How tourism is helping gorillas and healing communities in Rwanda

Posted on 13 September, 2016 by Rwanda Gorilla Safaris  in African Innovation, Conservation, People, Wildlife

In the world of mountain gorilla conservation, every birth of a new born baby gorilla is a success. According to the 2011 gorilla census report, there are fewer than 900 mountain gorillas left in the whole world, and half of this remaining population is found in the volcanic mountains of the Virunga range shared by Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The rest of the population is found in the impenetrable forests of Bwindi National Park located in south western Uganda.

Rwanda has about 10 habituated gorilla groups available for tourism purposes, and many tour operators in Kigali and Kampala offer a wide variety of gorilla safaris to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, making gorilla tourism the leading foreign exchange earner for the Kwita Izina is an annual Rwandan ceremony that involves giving names to the newly born mountain gorillas of the region. The main objective of Kwita Izina is to assist in monitoring each individual mountain gorilla in their family groups. The ceremony also aims to bring attention both locally and internationally to the importance of protecting these gentle giants in their natural habitat.