Using bees to protect mountain gorillas

The International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) in an effort to help in protecting the critically endangered mountain gorillas found in the forest regions of Bwindi and Mgahinga gorilla national parks have now launched a bee-rearing project to help the local communities in the environs of these national parks find alternatives of making money as well as protect the forest on which the bees rely.

Mr. Mwine David Mark said that the project aims at providing the locals with alternative income generating avenues so as to keep the forests in which these two national parks are found intact by lessening the pressure these locals exert on the forest in search of more land for subsistence farming.

He pointed out the fact that, allowing the local communities to erect their beehives in the regions surrounding the national parks of Bwindi and Mgahinga, the people will have a vested interest in the national park and will therefore in the event of a fire help in fighting its spread so as to protect their hives. The major threat to mountain gorillas is the threat to their habitats due to the increase in population creating a need for more farmland and food.

Mr. Mwine said that in collaboration with their conservation partners they are trying to lessen the threat faced by mountain gorillas such as disease, poaching and deforestation. He further pointed out the fact that the International Gorilla Conservation Programe (IGCP) is helping in developing a strategy to work with and develop the local communities’ livelihood as well as legislation and conservation policy.

The IGCP has further helped in developing the community by constructing Nkuringo Community lodge in the District of Kisoro where the communities will be able to earn approximately 5000 US Dollars each year. They have also give out honey processing equipment to Bwindi Bee Keepers Association and a new motorcycle.

IGCP’s mission according to Mr. Eugene Rutagarama,, the director, is to enable the people of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to establish a network that can jointly protect the areas so as to protect the gorilla sectors in a sustainable way. This region has the protected areas of Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks in Uganda, Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Volcano in Rwanda. He further said that the population of mountain gorillas in the wild has increased by over 17% bringing the total population to over 720.

The local artisans and honey processors in the region of the gorilla habitats have been linked by the IGCP to international markets in the United States of America so as to get a handsome price for their products

For your Uganda tour packages such as gorilla safari, wildlife tours, and birding tours we are pleased to arrange your travels to this region of Africa.

Visit these links for more information on gorilla facts and about gorillas