Mountain gorilla population rises in Uganda.-Prime Uganda Safaris & Tours Safari updates
Gorilla trekking safaris are bound to
increase due to an increase in the number of gorillas in Uganda. Uganda is now
home to nearly half of the world's mountain gorillas remaining in the wild, a
source of confidence for a country that has come to depend heavily on the
popular apes for substantial tourism revenue. The rest of the surviving
mountain gorillas — the species Gorilla beringei beringei — are in Congo and
Rwanda
The population of Uganda's
mountain gorillas has grown to 880, giving hope to conservationists trying to
save the critically endangered species."The increase in the population of
mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is testimony to the
sound natural resource management policies that are being implemented in the
protected areas," Uganda's Ministry of Tourism said in a statement
received Friday. "This result confirms beyond reasonable doubt that
Uganda's conservation efforts are paying off."
Gorilla tracking has improved
due to the presence of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a network of forested
jungle deep in the country's south-western frontier, which is recognized by
UNESCO as a heritage site of world value. A permit to track gorillas there
costs at least $500 and the World Wildlife Fund estimates that each gorilla
brings in up to $1 million in revenue each year for the East African country.
Mountain gorillas in the wild
still face threats ranging from habitat loss to poaching, especially in Congo,
where lawlessness in the country's vast eastern territory has allowed illegal
hunters to prosper. Mountain gorillas are hunted for their meat in Congo,
according to the World Wildlife Fund.
The conservation group Gorilla
Doctors said the population growth was partly due to "extreme conservation"
methods such as daily ranger monitoring in the forest. Ugandan wildlife
officials have been able to build successful partnerships with local
communities in part by pouring some of the revenue into local projects,
converting previously hostile groups into friendly advocates for the gorillas'
survival. This has helped to increase mountain gorilla safaris to Uganda.
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