Gorilla

Tom Munyakibina welcomed me to the Kisoro Queen Bee Rearing Centre

Hi, this is Tuver,

Just recently, I paid a visit to the Queen Bee Rearing Centre in Kisoro District, Uganda. Set up by the Gorilla Organization in 2009, this exciting initiative is making a real difference to the lives of local communities and helping to ease the pressure being placed on the gorillas’ forest home.

Rather than heading into the Mgahinga National Park to set up hives in the trees there, the centre allows the district’s beekeepers to do this away from the gorillas’ protected habitat. Under the guidance of Tom Munyakibina and Francis Sekabuga, keepers are taught the latest techniques, enabling them to increase their own yields. At present, the centre’s hives are producing 90kg of honey per season, with this collected over the course of three weeks.

Additionally, Tom and Francis are successfully breeding queen bees, meaning communities across the Kisoro District will be able to benefit from their own hives, providing them with a sustainable and gorilla-friendly source of food and income!

Below you can see a couple of pictures I took on my visit…

Some of the Gorilla Organization's many hives helping to ease the pressure on gorilla habitat

Tom was keen to show me how the centre is enjoying an upturn in honey production

Hi, this is Tuver,

At last month’s Kwita Izina, I had the great pleasure of catching up with my friend Barona Leonidas.

Now, if you take a trip to see the mountain gorillas living in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, you may be lucky enough to have Leonidas as one of your trackers. If so, you’ll see first-hand his passion for these critically-endangered creatures, and be able to benefit from the significant wisdom he is only too eager to share with tourists.

However, this has not always been the case. In fact, up until 2007, Leonidas worked as a gorilla poacher, illegally venturing into the protected national park in order to provide for his family. But then he became one of the beneficiaries of the sensitisation projects run by the Rwanda Development Board in partnership with several conservation groups, including the Gorilla Organization. Through these we teach communities and schools all about gorillas, their plight and what can be done to help them.

Not only did Leonidas come to see that working to protect, rather than harm, gorillas would provide a better future for his seven children, he realised that sustainable conservation can help to transform entire communities across the Virunga Massif.

I’m sure you’ll agree that Leonidas is a truly wonderful man. He is still taking tourists into the Volcanoes National Park and helping with research into the gorillas living there on an almost daily basis, despite now being 68 years old. His passion for gorillas is an inspiration to myself and let’s hope his example can persuade many more poachers to embrace conservation in the years ahead.

This is Leonidas, gorilla tracker and the life and soul of the party at Kwita Izina 2011

Trackers work on the very frontline of gorilla conservation in the Volcanoes National Park

One of the 22 mountain gorilla babies named at the Kwita Izina ceremony

Hi, this is Tuver,

So, the seventh Kwita Izina has now come to an end, and what an exciting few days it has been! It was so inspiring to see so many people come together to celebrate these latest additions to Rwanda’s mountain gorilla population.

After the serious nature of the opening day’s conference, where delegates investigated ways to work with the communities living on the edge of the Volcanoes National Park to protect the endangered gorillas, it was time to party. And what better way to celebrate our remarkable forest-dwelling cousins than to ‘baptise’ 22 of the babies born over the past 12 months names in traditional a Rwandan ceremony?

Rwanda’s prime minister Bernard Makuza, as well as the Dutch ambassador to the country and various conservation group heads were among those naming the new gorillas. So, from now on, the Gorilla Organization will be keeping an eye on Indamutso (meaning ‘greetings’ in Kinywarwanda), Urahirwa (meaning ‘prospects’) and Sakaara (meaning ‘known everywhere’). Also, I’m sure you’ll be interested to hear that the twins born to Kabatwa back in February were given the names Isangano (or ‘meeting place) and Isango (‘appointment’).

Once the actual naming ceremony had come to an end, the crowd of thousands, drawn from the communities living on the edge of the protected gorilla habitat and joined by government officials and numerous visiting dignitaries, were treated to a concert of dance and live music.

Here are a few pictures from this great weekend and let’s hope we’ll be naming even more mountain gorilla babies this time next year…

Dignitaries name the mountain gorilla infants while costumed conservation fans look on

People from communities on the edge of the Volcanoes National Park flocked to Kwita Izina 2011

Once the ceremony was over, it was time to party - Rwandan style!

The Gorilla Organization stand proves a real hit with delegates

Hi, this is Tuver,

The seventh Kwita Izina gorilla naming is now underway in Kigali, Rwanda, with a specially-themed conservation conference kicking off this year’s event.

Over the next few days, the Gorilla Organization will join government officials, NGO workers, conservationists and regional wildlife authorities in celebrating and naming the 22 mountain gorillas born over the past 12 months.

However, before the party really gets underway, there is serious work to be done. Today, for example, our Rwanda Programme Manager Emmanuel Bugingo attended a one-day conference ,which saw eminent scientists such as Dr Juan Carlos Bonilla and Dr Tamar Ron give talks on the theme of ‘Forest Stewardship By Communities’.

As you no doubt know, ensuring that the communities living on the edge of the gorilla habitat play a leading role in conservation is central to the work of the Gorilla Organization here in Rwanda. So it’s not surprising that the table Emmanuel was manning at the conference proved a real hit with delegates, who took copies of our Digit News newsletters and other relevant literature away with them.

So, until I send you my next update from this year’s Kwitz Izina, here are a couple more pictures from the opening day’s conference…

Delegates learn all about the work of the Gorilla Organization in Rwanda

Getting down to business and discussing how communities can take the lead in gorilla conservation

Hi, this is Tuver,

While many of the communities situated on the edge of the Virunga Massif don’t have access to electricity, this doesn’t mean that people living around the protected area can’t see films about their endangered cousins. In fact, thanks to the pedal-powered cinemas we’re running with the Great Apes Film Initiative (GAFI), films can now be screened in even the most-remote villages. Not only does this mean children and adults alike can learn about gorillas and their precious habitat, but many also get to watch a film for the first time in their lives!

Over recent days, we’ve been setting up our mobile cinema in the region surrounding the Mount Muhabura, an extinct volcano sitting on the border between Rwanda and Uganda. With the support of the Wildlife Clubs of Uganda, around 2,240 pupils from the Kaber, Gisozi and Chanika primary schools have watched the films, with most only too happy to power the projector, as you can see below.

Children take it in turns to power the cinema

It’s always great to see the look on people’s faces when the films are screened. The cinemas are always packed and there’s always silence as scientists explain all about the great apes up on the big screen.

Such is the excitement generated when our team arrives into a village, people working in the surrounding fields often put down their tools to come and watch our films. What’s more, they’re usually keen to help out with the pedalling, even though they will have to get back to their work once the show is over

Since the programme was launched back in November 2010, around 21,400 people have watched these pedal-powered films, and we hope this will increase to 60,000 by the end of October. Judging by the debates that take place after each screening, it’s obvious that the films are a real hit, with many people wanting to learn more about gorillas or even visit them for themselves. So let’s hope that the success of our Ugandan bike-powered cinemas can be replicated across the border in Rwanda and also in DR Congo in the months and years ahead.

Here are a couple more pictures of the cinema in action…

Smiles all round as school children learn about gorillas and their habitat

The arrival of the pedal-powered cinema team always causes great excitement

Hi, this is Tuver,

Communities living on the edge of the Virunga National Park understandably have a strong interest in ongoing conservation efforts here. After all, some of them are involved in the day-to-day management of the protected area, and many more are keen to see the region benefit from a strong and sustainable agricultural sector and the growth of gorilla tourism. At the same time, however, there are those who would like to exploit the rich natural resources of Africa’s first World Heritage Site.

These contrasting views were aired at the second forum on the management of preservation of the Virunga National Park, organised by the Congolese Wildlife Authority (ICCN) and held in Goma on May 14. At this meeting, I listened with interest as community representatives, government officials and representatives of several NGOs debated ways of limiting local dependence on the park as Julian Paluku, North Kivu district’s minister for agriculture, chaired proceedings.

Though the discussions were complex – and sometimes heated! – it was generally agreed that ongoing dialogue between local communities and the authorities will be crucial in determining the long-term future of the park. Good communication between all of the varied stakeholders, then, will be key to safeguarding the forest home of the critically-endangered gorillas for generations to come.

Here are some pictures I took at the forum, and I’ll be sure to keep you up-to-date with developments here in eastern DR Congo….

Several international NGOs, including the Gorilla Organization, attended the forum

Open and honest dialogue will play a key role in protecting gorilla habitat

Hi, this is Tuver.

The Nkwenda health centre is one of the Gorilla Organization’s great success stories here in the DR Congo. We set it up back in July 2007 to provide first aid and a range of other frontline health services to the indigenous Bambuti communities living on the edges of the Virunga National Park.

Since then, however, the project has been expanded to offer free or affordable healthcare to everyone living in the immediate vicinity. In 2009, we started working with a number of international charities and NGOs, including Merlin and Helping Hands, who provided the clinic with vital, lifesaving drugs and other treatments.

So far, around 5,000 people have benefited from the work of the clinic, which is situated just 12km from Kiwanja in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu. And, with the clinic going from strength to strength, many more will also benefit from access to emergency medical care provided by specialists, both from the DR Congo and elsewhere in the world.

However, it’s imperative that we maintain excellent relations with our donors and other well-wishers so that this clinic, which is situated on the edge of the forest home of our cousins the gorillas, is never short of even a single quinine or paracetamol tablet.

Here are some photos of the clinic in action….

The clinic the Gorilla Organization's supporters helped to build

Communities living on the edge of the gorillas' forest home get access to medicine

International doctors provide healthcare for all at the clinic

Hi, this is Tuver,

As many of you may know, back in November, we helped send a group of grandmothers from four villages in the eastern DRC to India to take part in a unique initiative to promote sustainable development and support gorilla conservation efforts in the Virungas National Park.

It gives me great pleasure to report that our six Solar Sisters have now returned home after learning the skills they need to become solar power engineers and sustainable energy ambassadors. Under the guidance of Bunker Roy, the manager at the Barefoot College, the ladies learned how to handle electronics components, make circuits and lanterns and to make, install and maintain solar units.

By putting their new skills into action, the ladies will be able to help lift their communities out of poverty and so ease the pressure on the gorillas’ forest home. Light will enable people to work or study after dark, while solar power will also bring further technological opportunities to the villages on the edge of the Virunga National Park.

As well as being greeted by their families and communities, the intrepid ladies have also been received by the governor of North Kivu province Julien Paluku Kahongya, and by the provincial minister of the environment, Chantal Rugenera. Given that they also had the chance to meet the Dali Lama while they were over in India, it seems the Solar Sisters are turning into local celebrities! Not bad for a group of grandmothers who had never left their villages before their life-changing trip to India!

Here are some photos of the ladies in India and being welcomed back to the DRC…..

The ladies learning all about electronic components

Taking a break from college to visit the Taj Mahal

The Solar Sisters greeting the Dali Lama when he visited the Barefoot College

The ladies being welcomed back to the DRC by the Governor of North Kivu province

I’ll be sure to keep you informed of the progress the ladies make as they put their new skills to work in their home villages!

Hi, this is Tuver,

It has been an exciting week for the people of Rusayo village in the North Kivu area of DR Congo. 200 homes have this week received a fuel-efficient stove from the local NGO Aide-Kive, thanks to funding from the Gorilla Organization and the people who support this blog!

These precious stoves will make a huge difference to the fight against deforestation in the Virunga National Park as families will now need to use much less fuel for cooking than they did before.

Deo Kalus, who works for Aide-Kivu presented the stoves to the local families and at the same time ensured that they understood that there was now no need to cut down trees or collect wood from the national park, the gorillas’ forest home.

Families were extremely grateful for their new stoves and reiterated their commitment to protecting the forest. They also reaslise the econimic gains the stoves will bring to all of them as they save time and money on collecting fuel.

Have a look at the photos below. It was quite a sight to see al the stoves lines up and to see how grateful the families of Rusayo were to receive their new stoves!

The fuel-efficient stoves are lined up, ready for distribution to local families

Deo explains the importance of the stoves and how they prevent deforestation and save the gorillas. Deo’s speech is followed by instructions on how to use the fuel-efficient stoves.

Smiles as the first stoves are handed out.

There is one for every household in the village!

Hi this is Tuver,

I am really sorry to have to bring you some very bad news from the Virungas. Yesterday morning a vehicle belonging to the ICCN (the Congolese wildlife authority) was attacked. During the attack eight people were killed. Three of the victims were park rangers and five were members of the national army who were working with the rangers.

The car was traveling along the road between Mabenga and Rwindi through the middle of the park. It was deploying the men on board to help keep the road safe for local people as in recent weeks this area has been very insecure as a result of the presence of illegal armed groups. The early morning patrol car was attacked with a rocket-propelled grenade, the attackers fled the scene immediately on foot. We are not certain of who the perpetrators are or which rebel group they came from, however we do believe that they are from the FDLR Rwandan militia and the search continues to find the attackers.

This is the worst attack on ranger patrols in over a year. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the families of these brave men who lost their lives.