Ecotourism and mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes

Synopsis

Ecotourism has played an important role, along with education and anti-poaching patrols, in conservation projects for mountain gorillas. Small groups of tourists are taken by trained guides to visit habituated groups of gorillas. This chapter examines the available evidence on the effects of tourism on the gorillas, both advantageous and deleterious. Tourism has provided a valuable source of income for the national parks in both Rwanda and Zaire, as well as benefiting the national economies and giving the local governments a strong incentive to protect the gorilla population. In addition, the gorilla groups visited by tourists and the areas of the forest which they inhabit are monitored daily and probably receive improved protection. The levels of illegal human disturbance in areas visited and not visited by tourists are compared. Over half the population is now in groups monitored for research or tourism. However, these visits could cause disturbance and stress to the gorillas and greatly increase the risk of human diseases being introduced into the population. Census results show that the proportion of immature animals in monitored groups is higher than in other groups, suggesting that any adverse effects of human visits are outweighed by the protection received. Civil war in Rwanda has demonstrated how political stability is crucial for successful ecotourism programmes.