Rwanda will continue its efforts to protect the criticaly endangered mountain gorillas by expanding Volcanoes National Park by 3,000 hactares, a project worth $180m. Volcanoes National park located in Musanze northern province currently occupies an area of 160 sq km. Due to increase in moutain gorilla population to 480 in the Virunga Conservation Area according to 2011 cenus, the park is faced with a challenge of limited land to conserve gorillas.
The population of people living around the park increases. The need to get land for farming and settlement has been reducing gorilla habitat in Volcanoes national park by 54% since its establishment in 1925. That results into encroching on the park land leading to habitat loss and also increases the risk of human disease transmission, two major threats to the survival of mountain gorillas.
The exapnsion of the park land to increase gorilla habitat is therefore urgent and has been facilitated by African wildlife Foundation, the largest wildlife conservation organization donated 27.8 hactares of land to Rwanda Development Baord.
The strategy is intended to forbid all kinds of development such as farming and construction sorrounding the habitat for gorillas. people neighboring the park will be re-alocated and it is not in the bad interest but rather a balance between development and conservation.
Gorillas attract many tourists for gorilla tracking safaris and other activities like hiking tours, bird watching hiking, hike to Dian fossey grave site which have led to increase of visitor numbers to 1.2m representing 82% growth since 2007. with the increase of tourists, Gorilla tourism has developed to benefit the economy by bringing foreign exchange and also creates opportunities for employment and local community empowerement.
For example the entry fees paid by tourists to Volcanoes National park generated $16.4m USD in addition to 10% of the gorilla permit money invested back to the community through Revenue sharing programe. People neighboring volcanoes national park depend on natural resources and the Rwanda development board has been investing a lot of money into social projects. In 2017 alone, about $1.28 USD was distributed to communities around the park in form of building schools, health care clinics, construction of water tanks, roads which are geared to reduce poverty and overdependence on gorilla habitat.
Gorilla tourism revenues have also been used and faciliate tourism enterprises for local people who generate income thriugh community tourism projects like Iby’Iwacu cultural village, community walks, guiding services, selling crafts, fruits and vegetables in partnership with conservation NGO’s and lodges. Those who will be re-alocated are not going to be affected in one way or the other because better housing has already been planned for them.
the crucial issue is to protect gorillas for future generations. And Rwanda has taken strategic actions like the recent increase of gorilla trekking permit to $1500 USD. Gorillas are no longer over visited by tourists. In addition, the expanding the park will keep the gorilla habitats off human ecncrochment which paves way for long term conservation of gorillas.