Biodiversity Conservation

Africa has many Protected Areas which are very rich in biodiversity, including a large number of endemic species and most of them are located in most densely populated areas.

Due to human activities, high population density, change in land use, increasing demand for natural resources and other different reasons, most of them suffer from a high degree of direct and indirect threats to the entire ecosystem which increase human-wildlife conflicts, a serious threat to the survival of many endangered species, sustainability of community livelihoods and tourism development.

Growing understandings of wildlife behavior, Animal extinction, habitat loss and spatio-temporal forms of human-wildlife conflict and the role of wildlife in tourism have led Gorilla Neighbours to the suggestion, development, and adoption of mountain Gorilla conservation program using different strategies for Promoting Peaceful coexistence between human and wildlife around Protected Areas.

The purpose of this program is to fight back different activities which are ravaging biodiversity in and around protected areas in Albertine Rift region, important biodiversity hot spot in Africa and a home to many rare and endemic species including Mountain Gorillas.

This will be done through different programs such as Habitat conservation, Wildlife Conservation, Community conservation and Research Projects which will be carried out for providing Research - based solutions on threats found in and outside of Protected Areas with a focus on threatened species and sensitive habitats.

These goals will be achieved through part of income that will be generated by tourism activities, grants, donations and talents of Gorilla Neighbours staff, visitors, friends and partners.

If conservation of natural resources goes wrong, nothing else will go right. (M. S. Swaminathan)