Tag: "gorilla safari"

Nature Based Tourism Part 2, Uganda

Rachel Dobb told us about the conservation efforts she experienced while studying in Africa in Nature Based Tourism part 1, Madagascar. In part two Rainbow Tours travel consultant Leila Kassam tells us about her upbringing in Uganda and the threats to the Gorilla population in the country. Both Leila and Rachel have worked with conservation organisations in Africa and believe that these projects are helping to make a real difference to species survival by creating jobs for local people in areas where work is hard to come by.

Leila Kassam on UGANDA

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, home of the mountain gorillas.

My father is Ugandan and I grew up and went to school there, so the well being of the wildlife is very close to my heart. I first went gorilla trekking in June 2012 in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and this was one of the highlights of my life so far. Mountain Gorillas are found in the Virunga Massif which spans three land borders – Uganda (Mt Gahinga National Park), Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park) and DRC (Virunga National Park) – as well as in Uganda’s Bwindi Forest in the Kigezi Highlands. Whilst the capture and poaching of gorillas for gruesome souvenirs or live animal trade has diminished recently, the threat from habitat destruction is now the greatest challenge – the Virungas and Kigezi highlands are some of the most densely populated human areas in Africa. The land is incredibly fertile and over the last century, what was once forest is now nearly all fields.

A Gorilla in Bwindi National Park

Mountain gorillas are a species that do not ‘bounce back’ easily. Their productive cycles take up to 4 years, and if an infant survives, it stays with its mother until the age of three. With such a small area of their natural habitat remaining, it’s impressive that their numbers have increased. The Uganda Wildlife authority recently announced that the number of gorillas has risen 10% in Bwindi from 786 in 2010 to over 880 in 2012.

An infant gorilla, Bwindi National Park

This growth has been entirely due to conservation efforts funded by tourism. Through the sale of gorilla permits, gorilla racking in Uganda is responsible for bringing in around 80% of the annual budget of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Gorilla tourism has created hundreds of jobs for local people – not only in the lodges where tourist stay, but also for trained Trackers and guides who take visitors into the mountains to seek out the gorillas. This employment has helped to ease the pressure on farming as the only means of support in the area.

Aerial view around the Virunga Mountains

Porters are also drawn from the surrounding communities, with a rotation system in place that allows local men and omen to be employed for the day. This distributes income as fairly as possible. Ex-poachers too have been given a second chance’ and now make a living as trackers, another positive change which brings hope to the gorillas future.

Mother & baby In the wilds of the Virunga Mountains

Take a look at our range of responsible Uganda holidays and read more about gorilla conservation efforts at www.ugandawildlife.org.

Gorillas, not lost in the mist

When I went gorilla trekking in Rwanda in June 2007, there were only around 700 Mountain gorillas alive in the world. It was an exhausting trek, most of the way up Karisimbi Volcano (4507m) in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. At that time, the Susa group was the biggest family, but they have since split into two smaller groups. It was one of the most emotional and challenging experiences of my life. But most importantly, it made me realise how privileged I was to see them, and the danger our closest relatives were still in.

Almost human
Mountain gorillas do not survive in captivity and are very susceptible to human diseases, so you will not see one in any zoo. With 98.5% of their genes similar to us humans, just looking into one’s eyes will tell you there is a lot of human-like intelligence there. But this similarity is also very dangerous. In 2009, two gorillas from the Hirwa group in Rwanda died from what is now believed to have been a human pneumonia virus infection. Gorillas have been hunted, as recently as in the last couple of years, and their mountainous home forest is shrinking at an alarming pace under the pressures of overpopulation and the need for farming land.

Mountain gorilla infant in Bwindi

The future
Luckily, through research, most famously Diane Fossey’s work in the 1960’s and 70’s, education and especially carefully controlled tourism, the Mountain gorilla population have now increased to an estimated 786. A permit is expensive, but for a precious hour, you get one of the most memorable wildlife experiences on earth, and the money is used to fund research and conservation. Thankfully the governments of Rwanda and Uganda have realised that live gorillas are much more valuable than the unspeakable alternative.

Help save the gorillas
The best ways to help save the gorillas are through tourism, but make sure you book your permit through a reputable operator, and do not go on a trek if you are ill. Also stay well away from the gorillas when you are with them, although this is not always possible, sometimes curiosity gets the better of them too.

Touched by a gorilla
One visitor to Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp in Bwindi, Uganda discovered just how unpredictable and curious gorillas can be in December 2011. The local gorilla family simply walked through the camp, and under the watchful eye of the silverback, some of the younger family members started grooming his hair. You can see the amazing video “Touched by a Mountain gorilla” below. When I saw the silverback of the Susa group, I was terrified; he moved a lot faster than his huge almost 300kg hulk suggested, I can only imagine the adrenaline pumping through him at that moment!

Gorilla trekking tips

• Take lots of water and some snacks. Some groups can be close to base camp, but some can be a couple of hours hiking up some very steep paths, as I discovered on my trek.
• Wear good hiking books, long light-weight trousers and gloves (like gardening gloves) are great as protection against nettles.
• Take a few days to acclimatise to the altitude before you attempt the trek. Learn more about the history and culture and go shopping shop for beautiful local wood carvings and delicate baskets.
• Take a spare camera memory card and make sure your camera is fully charged, but leave your heavy flash behind; you are not allowed to use it as it might scare the gorillas.
• Most of all, enjoy it! It truly is a once in a lifetime experience.

See them for yourself
You can still get a gorilla permit for trekking in Rwanda for US$500, if you book and pay before the end of May 2012 – permits will increase to US$750 from 1 June 2012. In Uganda, the permits are still around US$500, and Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp have some discounted gorilla permits on offer until October 2012.