Once endangered due to poaching, armed conflicts, and diseases, the primates are now flourishing thanks to dedicated conservation efforts. In 2008, the IUCN estimated only 680 individual mountain gorillas left in the wild. However, recent efforts have seen a positive turn. “For the census we did in 2018, there were 1,063 mountain gorillas. The population is growing, it’s coming up,” notes Dusabimana. Conservation initiatives, including anti-poaching patrols and the removal of snares, have contributed to the thriving gorilla population. The last gorilla poaching incident in Rwanda occurred in 2002, marking a significant milestone in conservation success.
SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS
