Help Protect the Gorillas
Rwanda is home to more than half of the remaining population of Mountain Gorillas. The total population now stands at just over 1000, up from only an estimated 250 in the late 1980s. Within the Virunga Volcanic Range, the population is currently 604, increased from 480 in 2010. Mountain Gorillas are now the only species of great apes in the world with an increasing population. This is a testimony to the local and international conservation efforts that have afforded protection and active preservation of both the gorillas and their habitat.
The species remain classified as endangered, mainly because their growing wild population need living space and protected habitat. Conservation efforts are now focused on preservation of the forest, working with communities living alongside the forest to reduce impacts and risks, and education about the importance of protecting gorillas and the ecosystems that support them. Rwanda has also embarked on an ambitious project to expand the boundaries of Volcanoes National Park by 23% to create even more vital gorilla habitat.
If you would like to help protect gorillas and support conservation, please provide your email address and we will send you information on what you can do to help.
Tourism is also an important part of the protection of gorillas, with revenue from gorilla permits supporting conservation and communities around the park.
All visitors can use Gorilla Gram to share their experience of visiting the gorillas, so your photos and videos can be used to increase our knowledge base for research and monitoring.
We also encourage all visitors to take the IGCP pledge to make their visit Gorilla Friendly.
When at the Park, you can also learn more about mountain gorillas, local conservation efforts, and the work of pioneering conservationist Dian Fossey, by visiting the nearby Ellen Degeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
