“The Tourism sector in Rwanda employs over 350 tour guides and operators. This shows the urgent need for sustainable tourism-based businesses, and the sure way to achieve this is through responsible tourism and conservation. Safeguarding mountain gorillas is therefore key,” stated Yves Ngenzi, Regional Coordinator for East African Tourism Platform and Rwanda Tourism Chamber Staff. …
About 60 tour operators and guides in Uganda were recently sensitized on the Gorilla FriendlyTM pledge initiative and on-going online campaign. International Gorilla Conservation Program and Wildlife Enterprise Network in collaboration with the Association of Uganda Tour Operators conducted a two days meeting for tour operators and guides in Kampala. The meeting focused on the …
Gorilla Doctors would like to congratulate our partner organization, the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), who, along with the Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN), launched the Gorilla Friendly™ Pledge, “an awareness raising campaign developed to minimize the risk of disease transmission from human to gorilla, during treks to see these magnificent great apes in the …
Take the Gorilla Friendly™ Pledge and Help Wild Gorillas Stay Healthy Read More »
Park-edge communities in Mikeno Sector – South of Virunga National Park (DRC) have pledged to double their conservation efforts to protect mountain gorillas against communicable diseases. The commitment was made during a training on mountain gorillas and communicable diseases. Organized by IGCP in partnership with Virunga National Park the training equipped the participants with knowledge …
Unique handicraft products and organic honey production by the local cooperatives around Volcanoes National Park are contributing to conservation of the endangered mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) and creating sustainable livelihoods for park edge communities. Mountain gorillas represent a culturally, ecologically, and economically important resource to the three range countries, Uganda, Rwanda and DRC, as …
An eco-tourism program has been taken to tourism and hospitality enterprises in Rwanda with an aim of increasing their engagement in gorilla conservation and environmental protection so as to compete on the global market. The Certified Gorilla Friendly™ program was unveiled this November 1, 2022 by the Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN) in collaboration with …
Certified gorilla friendly program to improve conservation tourism Read More »
i.Common Name: Cross River Gorilla
ii.Subspecies: Gorilla gorilla diehli
iii.Red List Status: Critically Endangered
iv.Tourism at sites: Organized tourism to view this subspecies does not exist (although tourism in national parks where they live is possible)
Photo by: WCS Nigeria Program
i. Common Name: Mountain gorilla
ii. Subspecies: Gorilla beringei beringei
iii. Red List Status: Endangered
iv. Range States: Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda
v. Tourism at sites:
1. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
2. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda
3. Virunga National Park, DRC
4. Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Photo by:Maryke Gray
i. Common Names: Grauer’s gorilla (Eastern lowland gorilla)
ii. Subspecies: Gorilla beringei graueri
iii. Red List Status: Critically Endangered
iv. Range states: Democratic Republic of Congo
v. Tourism at sites: Kahuzi-Biega National Park
i. Common Name: Western lowland gorilla
ii. Subspecies: Gorilla gorilla gorilla
iii. Red List Status: Critically Endangered
iv. Range States: Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo,
Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon.
v. Tourism at sites:
1. Dzanga-Sangha National Park, Central African Republic
2. Loango National Park, Gabon
3. Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Congo-Brazzaville
4. Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Congo-Brazzaville
Photo by: wikimedia Western Lowland Gorilla
Gorillas may be susceptible to SARS CoV-2 (causing COVID-19) and therefore taking this Pledge is more important than ever! Correct wearing and disposal of face masks is now mandatory at sites, and the recommended minimum viewing distance for gorilla visitation has increased from 7m to 10 m (33 feet).
