2009 is the year of the Gorilla, and if you were ever going to visit them, do it now.
Not only because of all the great green holidays available to help conservation, but because groups such as the mountain gorillas in eastern Africa are down to around as few as 700 - and dropping! So there is a chance that you won’t be able to see them in the near future.
Mountain gorillas live in close-knit family groups and are found in only 2 small pockets of forest within the East African countries of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, these countries are not always safe for human populations either!
As a result of this, the families are constantly threatened by war, habitat loss and by ruthless people who just kill them. Sometimes for trophies, sometimes to steal their babies for private collectors, or sometimes for no reason at all - they don’t even use or sell the bodies; they just leave them where they fall.
Even rangers sent into the forests to help protect the gorillas are at risk - in recent years over 100 have been killed according to report by WWF.
There are of course several other species/sub species of Gorillas through other areas of Africa, but the ones in danger need your help more than others right now.
Visiting The Gorillas:
There are 2 main ways to see the gorillas in their natural habitat and they are either on a paid tour or by working in the surrounding environment which includes possible sightings as part of that research.
You need a Gorilla Viewing Permit to actually go into the jungle to see them, and you also have to pay for park fees and visas where necessary. There are only a limited number of permits available per day usually around 30-60 depending on which park you are viewing from. Each permit costs around $500 and park fees on top.
Paid Tours:
These will offer a great opportunity to actually see the Gorillas in their natural environment, and depending on the company you use - you will be accompanied by a primatologist who will better guide you through the trials and adventures of the family you are viewing.
Also, the better companies (basically those that are linked in some way to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund or the International Gorilla Conservation Project (or both)) will also divert more of their ‘profit’ back into the community and to the conservation of the delicate environment in which they live.
You will no doubt pay slightly more for these, but it is all proportionate. You can guarantee that you will get a much more comprehensive tour rather than just an hour in the muddy jungle for a brief sighting. Some tour companies including Discovery Initiatives, offer 3 separate viewing trips into the jungle included in the price rather than just the one and may involve both Uganda and Rwanda as part of that trip.
As with all green holidays; check what is included and what is not. Always ask questions regarding local issues that you are concerned about before booking. And always book well in advance for any Gorilla-based holiday as the permits sell out fast!
Check out the local website before booking - www.berggorilla.de (English language available).
Volunteer Holidays:
Also on offer are research and volunteer programs in the local area. Many of these do not actually guarantee that you will get to see wild Gorillas at all.
What you will get from such an experience would be amazing. You would be working with primatologists and researchers in Africa, possibly locating home ranges, processing important data and working with local communities to promote more ‘Gorilla-friendly’ lifestyles - and much, much more.
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund offer 12 week programmes for volunteers from as little as £250 to cover administration. You will need to get there yourself - as with most volunteer projects - and pay for your lodgings and food on site, but everything you need for the job and your daily transport is all included.
Alternatively:
You could sponsor a Gorilla from the Aspinall Foundation for yourself or for a birthday or anniversary gift for friends and family - all proceeds going to protect these magnificent and endangered animals!
