Virunga National Park is the oldest wildlife park in Africa, so it is immensely popular worldwide. It is located in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and is the tough testament against the wounds of time. The Park is famous for its biodiversity, and one of its inhabitants is Mountain Gorillas, which are endangered, and few of them are left.

For years, these places have been the central target of many natural and man-imposed threats. Which ultimately risks the safety of these Gorillas. Many natural resource reserving authorities have recently fought to protect Virunga and its Mountain Gorillas.

Let’s learn more about the Virunga National Park, the reasons for conflicts, and the ongoing initiatives to protect them:

The Cause of Conflict in Virunga

Virunga has been the centre of losses for years of ongoing regional wars and conflicts. Dating back to the Rwanda genocide in 1994, a large number of refugees seek escape on Congo lands. Many of these moved to the areas of the National Park and settled in its surrounding areas. They disturbed the great area of the Park by cutting trees, making huts, and hunting many animal species for food.

In these whims, Virunga lost huge areas and was registered as a world heritage site in danger by UNESCO. Moving forward to the first and second Congo Civil Wars, Virunga’s lands suffered the most, and protecting Virunga mountain gorillas became more challenging. The native people who lost their source of income started to scratch natural resources from the Park to sell and make a living. Due to this situation, the Park's staff face difficulty saving the inhabitants.

It did not stop there; in 2006, Soco, the British oil company, became another reason to rebel with locals. This situation also damaged the Park when rebels dragged out park staff, occupying the land. One of the saddest incidents took place in 2007 when the illegal charcoal mafia made Virunga bleed brutally.

In greed of getting their hands on resources of the Park, they killed a family of mountain Gorillas. These incidents and many others are enough to tell the tales of why mountain gorillas are endangered.

Beacon of Hope for Virunga

The incident of 2007 made the government take a tricky move. 2008 was a turning point in the cursed history of Virunga National Park when Emmanuel de Merode, as the Park’s director, took a step. He brought the Virunga Alliance program to the boards with his wise leadership. The purpose was to find the causes of these conflicts and devise alternate solutions to fix them, saving wildlife.

The next good thing happened in 2015 when the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration emerged. Its vision was to promote conservation efforts across borders, resulting in a sustainable future for the Park and keeping mountain gorillas safe with other inhabitants.

Economic Solutions through Eco-Tourism

Another mountain gorilla conservation effort is the promotion of Eco-Tourism. Under the Virunga Alliance, the tour in the Park is costly. This initiative was taken to generate enough revenue to spend on Park’s fare funding local communities.

During the outbreak of COVID-19, the authorities banned tourism in Park and nearby areas. This initiative is proof of the seriousness of stakeholders towards keeping Virunga and mountain Gorillas safe from outer threats.

Challenges in the Way

However, the conservation journey is challenging; fighting against the local mafia takes a lot of effort. Once the authorities successfully fight against them and keep them off the back, other challenges fall in the way.

As the Park’s condition was stabilizing through Eco-Tourism, the pandemic outbreak caused a massive loss in revenue. Virunga has seen many tough times and endured a lot of wounds on its land, yet it stands firm.

Except for artificial threats,s there are natural disasters like thunderstorms, forest fires, and diseases that heavily impact the lives of these species. Currently, many ongoing conservation projects at Virunga give the world hope that it will rise after defeating all the challenges in its way of peace.

Ongoing Conversation Projects in Virunga National Park

After the incidents of 2006, the government of Congo and international authorities took the initiative to conserve one of the oldest biodiversity resources on the planet. Since then, many national and international projects have been going on. Some of them have been very fruitful in the conservation of Virunga and Mountain Gorillas, such as:

Great Virunga Transboundary

Its objective was to forge common ground between the three neighbours: Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. This collaboration was to enhance conservation programs to preserve common natural resources. The initiatives were based on habitat protection, anti-poaching measures, and sustainable resource management across borders.

Research and Monitoring Programs

Its object was to gather detailed data on the Park's natural life and species, monitor wildlife populations, and study the impacts of conservation efforts. Their ongoing projects specifically include Gorillas, their difficulties, how they live, their health, and reproduction. The results help to make the right and fruitful efforts to help these endangered species.

Partnership with International Conservation Organization

The government has brought the expertise of global wildlife researchers and resources to enhance Virunga’s space. The highlighting collaborations include UNESCO, WWF, and the International Gorilla Conservation Program at the top of the list. These projects include research, funding, and various campaigns involving local people to conserve mountain gorillas of Virunga.

Final Thoughts

The fight to protect Virunga and its mountain Gorillas has yet to end. Many threats lingering in the shadows still need to be addressed. Virunga is one of the ancient natural reservoirs home to many species. Virunga and its mountain gorillas have stood the test of time and are thriving, which gives hope to the world: no matter what, we all must rise from the challenges strongly.

I urge you to participate in conservation programs while touring the place. Before leaving, please share your thoughts on Virunga and its survival in the comment section below.