Mountain gorillas growing fortunes - 14th January 2022

The magnificent mountain gorillas of Rwanda are a conservation triumph. In the 1980s, just 100 of these primates remained in the wild – now there are over 1,000.

However, success raises new challenges since the national parks in the Virunga Mountains, straddling Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, provide the main mountain gorilla habitats. And while the gorilla population's been increasing, the area of Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park has diminished.

Prosper Uwingeli is the park's chief warden.

Prosper Uwingeli: "We have seen challenges, and the challenges of the habitat. Because in the past 60, 50 years, the park lost 54 percent of the size of the park. And when our effort were put in a place to – for the mountain gorilla population to, to recover to the current numbers, you know, the habitat has not changed."

These rising numbers have led to increased violence between groups of the primates, with silverbacks and younger gorillas ending up the victims.

Felix Ndagjimana directs Rwanda programmes of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

Felix Ndagijimana: "The interactions themselves changed in the sense that they became very violent, and during this period, we recorded seven silverbacks' death. So that's again is a consequence of more groups ranging in the same area – really not expanding and going to, to the rest of the park. And that leading to more intergroup interactions, and then more infanticides."

Although tourism plays a vital role in gorilla conservation, increased proximity to humans has generated problems of its own. Gorillas now venture into human settlements on their search for food. This exposes them to potentially devastating human diseases, such as flu and Ebola. Therefore, plans to extend park territories envisage relocating some communities away from gorillas.

10 percent of revenues earned from gorilla tourism funds compensation for local farmers, prevents poaching and builds schools. It’s intended to help change local perceptions of gorillas: not monsters to be feared but keys to the community’s financial future.