Kigali, Rwanda Press, 30 June 2023 –As the annual baby gorilla naming ceremony in Rwanda draws nearer, the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) and its partner – Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN), have intensified their campaign dubbed ‘the Gorilla Friendly Pledge’, an awareness crusade initiated to minimize the risk of disease transmission from human to mountain gorillas.
The Gorilla Friendly Pledge is an online awareness raising campaign aimed at encouraging all those planning to visit the mountain gorillas – and even those who are not! – to pledge to observe gorilla tourism rules during treks and to share feedback on their trekking experience after the visit through the Gorilla Friendly Pledge website – gorillafriendly.org .
The campaign was launched in 2014 and re-launched in 2020 by the IGCP – a coalition of Conservation International, Fauna and Flora International, World-Wide Fund (WWF) in partnership with Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN).
The mountain gorilla visitation is reopening again and Rwanda expects the number of tourism visits to go up at the annual baby gorilla naming ceremony scheduled early September.
“You can choose to be a responsible tourist today and contribute to the safety, protection and survival of mountain gorillas by pledging to comply to gorilla visitation rules and regulations,” explains IGCP officials.
The International Gorilla Conservation Programme said this while sensitizing the media on the importance of mountain gorilla conservation and responsible mountain gorilla trekking
Jean Paul Hirwa, IGCP Deputy Director said their campaign will reach more than one million gorilla-friendly pledges in the crucial campaign of conserving endangered mountain gorillas, which is currently regarded in the region as one of the main sources of revenues to help improve the economy hit by COVID-19 pandemic.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies mountain gorillas as an endangered species and therefore need strict protection to stay alive.
Mountain gorillas are found in Virunga National Park in DRC, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park both found in Uganda.
