Rwanda
The small African country of Rwanda, with this respect, represents an interesting exception: the number of mountain gorillas, a severely endangered gorillas subspecies, is steadily increasing since several years. The secret of this success in wildlife conservation relies in a state law, saying that 5% of all tourism revenues have to be invested directly in social projects in favor of the local communities living around the country’s five national parks, such as the creations of schools and hospitals, as well as new job opportunities.
One example for all: gorillas’ number one enemy, the poachers, have been employed as park guides.
Creating a strong economic bond between the conservation of wildlife and the well-being of the rural populations has proven extremely successful, with poaching being now a negligible phenomenon in the country.
You find some portraits of Rwandese parks guides, of which some are ex-poachers, and photos of the stunning Kwita Izina, the colorful ceremony on September 2nd, during which every year the new baby gorillas are given a name. At the feet of the Virunga mountains, the President, thousands of farmers, with theirs children and wifes, gather around the giant statue of a gorilla in bamboo, to celebrate conservation, proving the existence of a strong bond with the great apes which is not only economic, but also highly emotional. A few kilometers away, in Congo, poaching continues killing gorillas, whose hands are sold as amulets, at a dramatic rate.
