Mountain Gorilla Census Results Pending
The number of mountain gorillas in the Countries of Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda is steadily increasing due to the increased conservation efforts being put in by the three Countries as well as International Conservation bodies.
The effort by tour operators can not also go unnoticed as they are help raise awareness about the plight of these beautiful creatures that millions of tourists come to see annually. To visit gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda once has to pay the mandatory $500 dollars as gorilla trekking permit fees. This money is for the park entrance fees, the park ranger fees as well as conserving the mountain gorillas and the communities in which these endangered mountain gorillas are found.
To gauge the success of the conservation efforts of the different bodies and governments, there has been a census of the mountain gorilla families to ascertain their numbers. The last census was carried in 2006 and the number of mountain gorillas then was 720 both wild and habituated. This last census was carried out in the latter part of 2011 and the results are yet to be published by the researchers.
From the projections of the 2006 census the number of mountain gorillas in expected to increase in this recent census. Mountain gorillas are faced with a high number of dangers. For one, they are closely related to humans with 97% DNA similar to that of humans. This makes mountain gorillas very susceptible to human disease from which they have no immediate treatment like humans. It is very easy for a person to quickly recover from a bout of flu with a few shorts from the doctor but with mountain gorillas this would be fatal to the entire family to which the gorilla belongs.
It is therefore incumbent upon us all to ensure that these gentle giants are protected and that encroachment on their habitat as well as poaching are curbed before we lose these great apes.
Mountain gorilla families in all the three Countries have been opened for gorilla tracking to tourists. However due to the political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, mountain gorilla safari is carried mainly in Uganda and Rwanda. A gorilla trekking safari in Uganda is done in Bwindi impenetrable forest as well as Mgahinga national park.
A Rwanda gorilla safari is done in Parc Des Volcans in different regions which is part of the Virunga massif. These gorilla safari bookings are important in raising funds for the conservation as well as awareness about the plight of these gentle giants.