Gorillas are threatened with extinction. We hope against hope, that these incredible animals – closely related to us, and so similar in many ways can be saved.
The problem that is increasing over time is simple. When protected areas were created, they saved small relicts of the gorilla population. As the gorilla population increase – a positive outcome – it means that gorillas (and other primates) have to live in closer and closer proximity with each other.
Unfortunately, it has become clear that as the great ape population recovers, disease and parasites are becoming a bigger problem.
Now. of course in theory, the problem to this is simple. Set aside more land for these primates. This has a double impact, as both the wildlife benefits, but also there are more rainforests to soak up the worlds emissions.
The problem is, that all the cost of this falls on some of the poorest countries in the world.
Unfortunately, it comes back to money. We need to allow people who live in these rainforests to make a healthy income from them so that they will protect their continuing existence.
As we emerge from this horrific epidemic, tourism must not only continue but thrive. Importantly though, we need to branch out. We need tourists to go to every little protected area (and perhaps unprotected wilderness) so locals see these areas as important for their standard of living to increase. A single trip to the Serengeti in your life is not good enough – branch out explore the wild.
I hope that this website will increasingly assist in doing that.