The positive impact of tourism on the Mountain Gorilla in Uganda
In recent decades, travel around the world has never been easier. For some countries, tourism has become a major economic resource. Nonetheless, mass tourism continues to have an indisputable negative impact on the environment, wildlife species and local populations. This is the case in some African national parks, which are victims of their success, and where thousands of tourists crowding in and where, daily, animals are surrounded by dozens of vehicles. In view of these observations, it is more than ever necessary to promote sustainable tourism, more respectful of wildlife and population, and having a real positive impact in the region concerned. This type of tourism, responsible and ethical, has already shown its sustainability and effectiveness.
Sustainable tourism in Uganda
After decades of post-colonial political instability, Uganda has bet on ecotourism to develop sustainable and local economic resources and thus invest in wildlife conservation programs. In fact, with the creation of nearly 10 national parks in 40 years, including 5 in the 1990s, the country has combined conservation and integrated development programs, making it possible to combine the needs of the population and the management of protected areas. This virtuous circle gradually reconciles the local populations and wildlife. This tourism, based on the discovery of nature and awareness of its protection, raises funds for conservation and encourages local populations to support sustainable management of the country's resources. Thanks to the income from ecotourism, scientists and managers hope to offset the costs of protecting wildlife and improving the perception of locals with regard to wildlife conservation measures. Local populations were thus able to benefit indirectly from the benefits of sustainable tourism (i.e. payment of part of the benefits of ecotourism for the construction of eco-lodges, schools and hospitals, etc.).
Despite this peaceful situation, human conflicts are still present, especially the presence of armed militias, which carry out recurrent attacks against the local populations and the government. These criminal groups, remnants of the civil war, are often unfolded around the outskirts of national parks and aim to illegally exploit the riches of the soil or to poach wildlife, even though most of species which are protected. This violence sometimes targets tourists and rangers directly in the heart of national parks which are home to sensitive species such as great apes. The Director of the Virunga National Park, Emmanuel de Mérode, in particular negotiated an agreement a few years ago with a rebel group to spare the sector of the park occupied by the Mountain gorilla from armed conflicts and allow a total deployment of the rangers in this sensitive area. It is clear that without the development of tourism, wildlife conservation and protection measures, the local geopolitical tension would have led to the disappearance of dozens of wild species and of these unique ecosystems of East Africa.
The Mountain gorilla, saved from extinction
Among Uganda’s emblematic animals, the Mountain Gorilla Gorilla beringei beringei holds a very important place. It is a subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla, divided into just two populations :
one resides in the Virunga Volcanic Massif, spread over Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC);
the other in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda and the Sarambwe Nature Reserve in DRC.
This large primate lives in a family of around twenty individuals and exhibits very pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males can reach 300 kg, for 2 meters high. The dominant is recognizable by its large silver back. Sedentary, the Mountain Gorilla moves only to find its food, mainly composed of leaves, stems, roots and various fruits. The species also plays a determining role in seed dispersal and actively participates in forest regeneration.
Endemic to the humid tropical African forests of altitude, this primate of the Hominidae family, at the time classified as "critically endangered" by the IUCN, suffers various threats from humans, mainly poaching, deforestation and disease transmission. In 1998, there were only 620 individuals left, most of them in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. This 321 km2 forest oasis is home to exceptional biodiversity, including many endemic animal and plant species. These very low numbers are dramatic, as they imply low genetic diversity, making gorillas very susceptible to disease and environmental changes.
Fortunately, the protection and conservation measures taken by the government in the 1990s have nearly doubled the number of Mountain Gorillas in 20 years. Today, they are around 1063 individuals, 43% of which reside in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The permanent monitoring of populations, veterinary surveillance and the vigil of ranger patrols against poaching, have enabled the number of Mountain gorillas to increase significantly. The species is still greatly threatened, but its IUCN status has evolved towards the “endangered” criterion since 2018. These drastic conservation measures, supported by scientists, the government and local populations, have therefore borne fruit, especially since the species must absolutely be protected in situ, because it cannot survive in captivity.
An essential ethic for the well-being of this great primate
The approach of gorillas by visitors to the park is highly regulated: 8 people can approach for an hour, daily, the few groups accustomed to the human presence. To minimize the risk of transmission, ecotourists must absolutely respect a distance of 7 meters from the animals during the entire observation period. Thanks to this approach, the populations of Mountain gorillas are studied and observed on a daily basis, which greatly increases the scientific information and behavioral data about them. Accustomed gorillas have a higher survival rate than isolated groups, they can be cured more easily and released from traps more quickly by rangers. Indeed, hundreds of snares, very effective traps made up of a simple wire rope, are deposited daily by bushmeat hunters to capture often protected wild species (monkeys, antelopes, wild pigs, etc.) directly in the forests national parks. Unfortunately, gorillas sometimes fall victim to these kinds of traps, which is why groups accustomed to human presence are more likely to be saved, rangers even reported behavior where an individual invited the guards to follow him to the trap to disarm him.
However, approaching this species, with whom we share 97.7% of our DNA, comes with certain risks. Indeed, these endemic and very localized populations are very sensitive to certain diseases potentially transmissible by humans. Therefore, it is essential to maintain the minimum distance to protect the gorillas. Despite these rules, abuses have been noted by scientists in recent decades, tourists would sometimes find themselves within 5 meters of primates.
Nevertheless, tourism is essential to safeguard this species and its forest ecosystem with such rich biodiversity, which is why it is indispensable to continue to promote ecotourism in Uganda, by doing it in a respectful manner, via organizations which have an impeccable ethics so as not to harm the species observed. Visiting the Mountain Gorillas means participating directly in their protection. During our trip to Uganda, you will be able to approach this charismatic species with us in all serenity.
Manon
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