Behind Rwanda’s rising profile in responsible conservation tourism lies a persistent threat: poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. While anti-poaching efforts in Rwanda have made significant strides in protecting its natural assets, the pressure on its wildlife remains constant—and in some cases, intensifying.
Species like mountain gorillas, elephants, and primates in Nyungwe are central to Rwanda’s tourism economy and conservation reputation.
However, the same animals that attract global interest also draw the attention of poachers and traffickers—driven by profit, scarcity, and international demand.
Rwanda hasn’t taken this lightly. Below, we take a closer look at how Rwanda is tackling the challenge—seriously, systematically, and with long-term intent.
The Problem: Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trade in Rwanda
Rwanda’s protected areas may be well-guarded, but they’re not immune.
The country’s wildlife faces pressure on multiple fronts—from subsistence poaching driven by poverty to more organized trafficking linked to regional and international markets.
In some rural zones bordering national parks, bushmeat still functions as a source of protein and income.
While these acts are often small-scale, they carry ripple effects. Snares set for antelope can maim endangered species.
The killing of a single elephant or gorilla can undo years of conservation investment, strain diplomatic relations, and damage the credibility of tourism as a sustainable development tool.
Rwanda sits in a region where wildlife trafficking routes overlap with other forms of cross-border crime.
Items like ivory, pangolin scales, and primate body parts are moved by networks that understand how to exploit weak enforcement points and porous borders.
Even a relatively well-governed country like Rwanda must contend with the pressures of geography.
In response, Rwanda has built a multi-layered response.
Its strategy brings together law, enforcement, community participation, and long-term planning—each playing a role in making wildlife protection a national priority.
a) Policy and Legal Framework
Rwanda’s approach to wildlife crime starts with the law—and it doesn’t leave room for ambiguity.
In 2018, the country passed a comprehensive biodiversity law that redefined how wildlife offences are treated.
Under this legal framework, the illegal killing of a protected species—such as a mountain gorilla, elephant, or lion—carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years and fines of up to RWF 10 million (approximately USD 8,000).
These aren’t symbolic penalties. They break the cost-benefit logic that often drives poaching.
The law also covers the illegal possession, transportation, and trade of animal parts—targeting every stage of the trafficking chain.
This comprehensive structure matters because it ensures that not only the poacher but also the middleman and end buyer, face consequences if caught within Rwandan jurisdiction.
Rwanda is also a signatory to CITES, the global agreement regulating international wildlife trade. In practice, this means customs agents receive specialized training, wildlife products are tracked and reported, and cross-border collaboration is embedded in enforcement strategies.
According to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), more than 140 CITES permits were issued in 2023 alone—an indicator of the country’s commitment to legal, regulated, and traceable movement of species when permitted.
Institutionally, Rwanda has taken an unusual but effective step by placing tourism, conservation, and economic development under a single agency—RDB..
It means policy decisions around protected areas are closely tied to financial planning and national development goals.
It also allows conservation to move from being a siloed environmental issue to a central economic pillar.
b) Enforcement and On-the-Ground Action
Rwanda’s legal framework may be strong, but its real-world impact depends on what happens in the field.
Here, the country has built a layered enforcement system that blends traditional ranger patrols with modern surveillance, intelligence-sharing, and coordinated response units.
The Rwanda Development Board (RDB), in collaboration with the Rwanda National Police and the Rwanda Defence Force, oversees security across national parks.
In 2023, RDB reported conducting over 3,000 anti-poaching patrols in protected areas.
These patrols focus not just on deterrence but on direct intervention—removing snares, intercepting illegal activity, and collecting data on poaching patterns.
Technology is becoming a critical force multiplier.
Akagera National Park managed through a public-private partnership with African Parks, has deployed aerial surveillance, real-time radio networks, and GPS tracking to monitor both wildlife and human movement.
The park has seen a 97% drop in poaching incidents over the past decade—a dramatic shift considering its past reputation as a hotspot for illegal hunting.
Volcanoes National Park, home to Rwanda’s mountain gorillas, operates under a high-security model. Rangers conduct daily patrols, and the park uses SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) software to map incidents and improve deployment strategies.
This data-driven approach has enabled quicker responses and more efficient use of limited personnel.
But enforcement doesn’t stop at the park borders. Rwanda’s One Stop Border Posts—especially at key exits like Gatuna and Rusumo—have tightened screening for illegal wildlife products.
These posts are staffed with trained officers who collaborate with INTERPOL and wildlife enforcement networks to track the movements of high-value items like ivory and pangolin scales.
c) Community Involvement and Incentives
One cannot protect wildlife by isolating it from people.
Conservation must deliver visible, tangible benefits to the communities living near protected areas—or it simply won’t work. That’s why Rwanda has embedded local involvement into the structure of its conservation strategy.
The cornerstone of this approach is the Tourism Revenue Sharing Scheme, launched in 2005. Under this program, 10% of all park revenues go directly into community projects.
These funds have helped build schools, health centres, water systems, and agricultural infrastructure in areas bordering national parks.
Between 2005 and 2022, the scheme disbursed over RWF 7 billion (roughly USD 5.6 million) across hundreds of projects.
Communities are more likely to report illegal activity or reject poaching when they see conservation improving their daily lives.
In addition to infrastructure investment, Rwanda promotes alternative livelihoods to reduce dependency on illegal hunting.
Programs led by RDB and conservation NGOs train locals in beekeeping, handicrafts, tourism services, and sustainable agriculture.
In Nyungwe, for example, former poachers have transitioned into forest guides, porters, or small business owners connected to park activities.
These shifts take time, but they create durable economic alternatives to wildlife crime.
Education plays a long game, but it matters. Rwanda has invested in Conservation Clubs in secondary schools near parks, partnered with local radio to broadcast anti-poaching messages, and involved community leaders in advocacy campaigns.
Changing attitudes doesn’t happen overnight—but it starts with consistent, visible engagement.
What makes Rwanda’s approach different is that it doesn’t just ask communities to “support conservation.” It brings them into the equation as co-beneficiaries.
That’s not only smart policy—it’s strategic risk management. Because in the end, no fence or patrol can substitute for public support on the ground.
Results and Ongoing Challenges
Rwanda’s strategy is producing measurable outcomes—but like any serious conservation effort, it remains a work in progress.
Poaching in key parks has dropped sharply. In Akagera National Park, poaching was down to 0% between 2018 and 2023, according to African Parks.
The reintroduction of lions in 2015 and black rhinos in 2017 showed confidence in the park’s security. Both populations have since grown, with the lion population increasing from seven to over 50 in under a decade.
In Volcanoes National Park, the mountain gorilla population has continued to rise, contributing to a broader regional recovery.
As of the last census, the Virunga Massif hosts over 1,000 individuals, up from fewer than 250 in the 1980s.
This success is credited to consistent patrolling, habituation programs, and community support.
Gorilla tourism, with its strict permit system and price point of USD 1,500 per trek, funds both park operations and local development.
Challenges.
First, cross-border enforcement is still fragile. Rwanda shares ecological corridors with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where enforcement capacity varies.
Wildlife doesn’t recognize political boundaries, and neither do traffickers. Coordinated patrols and intelligence-sharing exist, but inconsistencies in prosecution and corruption in neighbouring jurisdictions can undercut progress.
Second, while community engagement is strong, economic pressures persist.
Rising living costs, limited job opportunities, and land pressure near parks occasionally drive people back into illegal hunting or harvesting. Revenue sharing helps, but it can’t fix structural poverty.
Third, trafficking networks continue to evolve.
While poaching for subsistence has declined, organized crime groups have become more sophisticated—using encrypted communications, bribery, and diversified smuggling routes.
Rwanda’s law enforcement agencies have had to continuously update their methods to stay ahead, often relying on regional and international cooperation.
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