Gorillas habituation for tourist viewing in Uganda

2013

Felipe Veit

The Open University

March, 1st 2013

Recommendation against habituation of a further gorilla group in Bwindi National Park, Uganda.

Copyright © 2013 Felipe Veit (The Open University) 1

Table of contents

1 Brief Considerations 2 2 Introduction and Background 3 3 Process used 4 4 Evidence 5 5 Recommendation and discussion 7 6 Conclusion 9 7 References 10


Brief considerations

This report reflects a personal account of the author which intended to address a question related to the habituation of Gorillas in Bwindi National Park, Uganda. It is part of the higher degree course (B.Sc.) Environmental Studies of The Open University through the module U116 – journeys through a changing world.

The author is entirely responsible for the content in this report and The Open University has only provided the necessary material for the author to answer an specific question about the benefits and disadvantages of habituating a new group of gorillas for tourist viewing at the Bwindi Park.

The Ugandan Wildlife Authority is the institution responsible for the Park and did not order any report to the author. This is a non-‐official document and is only valid for academic purposes.

Plagiarism is cheating. Before using any content from this document please remember to reference it properly.


Introduction and Background

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Bwindi Park) serves as home for roughly half of the world's population of mountain gorillas, estimated in just over 700 remaining in the wild.

Tourism is of great importance for the local economy and tracking the gorillas is on top of the activities offered in the Park. Although driven by conservation, UWA is seeking to enhance tourism activity and one possibility is to consider the habituation of another group of gorillas for tourist viewing. The process consists in making wild gorillas familiar with human presence providing the tourists an unique forest experience.

Based on study-‐materials of Bwindi Park which considered the valuable inputs from interested parts (Stakeholders) and approaching the Integrated Conservation Development (ICD) model which is in place to bring together social development and conservation enhancement, this report aims to provide a recommendation to UWA about a possible habituation of a new group of mountain gorilla for tourist viewing.

UWA’s brief with the four overriding objectives was considered and refers to (1) maintain or enhance gorilla's health and welfare, (2) to maintain or enhance the biodiversity of the forest, (3) to increase tourism revenue and (4) to spread the benefits of tourism development among local communities to reduce poverty.

This report is structured in four main parts: First part will show how appropriate evidence was identified in the ‘process used session’. In the second part ‘Evidence’, a table with the chosen evidence showing pros and cons will be followed by a recommendation supporting the decision made in part three and a conclusion.


Process used

A detailed analysis of the study-‐materials looked for evidence to sustain the recommendation that will follow. Both pro and contra habituation evidence were selected and weighted as less critical (1), critical (2) and very critical (3). They were then added together in each block (pros and cons) and the total scores helped constructing the argument for the recommendation. This rating was created to meet the four overriding objectives stated in the UWA's brief which were considered crucial for the recommendation.


Evidence

The table below indicates the advantages (Pros) and disadvantages (Cons) of habituating new gorilla groups at the Bwindi Park. Every point is rated from 1 to 3 to indicate the importance of each argument.

Pros Cons

Wealth progress for the region: Gorillas tracking has been proven to be a very profitable activity (3)

Habitat's Impact: Human presence in the surroundings may represent a risk to the ecosystem. This is very relevant to meet UWA objective about biodiversity (3)

Benefits for locals 1: Locals can benefit directly when working in tourist activities such as wardens, guides, handy-‐crafts selling as well as entertainment (3)

Conflict of Interests: Not every local people agrees with the limits imposed by the system and the presence of tourists and this may represent a risk of violence against stakeholders and mainly the gorillas who may invade farms and be attacked by the owners (3)

Benefits for locals 2: People being trained to develop entrepreneurship and having resources available to start up a business in the agriculture sector, provides a wealthier condition while reducing environmental degradation due to illegal extractions in the wild (3)

Gorillas reproduction: When habituated gorillas may suffer from diseases and stress caused by the constant presence of humans, and this may represent a disruption on reproductive rates (3)

Benefits for locals 3: With a constant tourist activity the infrastructure of the region is improved with better health care, transport system and greater availability of goods (3)

Health risks for gorillas 1: Habituation process and constant human presence results in stress for gorillas (3)

Conservation of species 1: Know as one of the most endangered species, gorillas at Bwindi Park, are likely to have their health conditions monitored (3)

Health risks for gorillas 2: Habituation means closer contact between humans and gorillas and diseases can be easily transmitted (3)

Conservation of species 2: When habituation goes well gorillas may develop natural defences against human diseases (2)

Conflicts: Gorillas seeking for food on community land are exposed to human's mistreatment and can be even killed (3)

Global community's support: Awareness of other countries may enhance financial

Impact on Gorillas behavior: Habituation tends to modify their behavior. In most cases


support to the park (1) they don't see humans as a threat (2)

Environmental awareness: When aware of environmental issues people may develop a sense of 'protection' of the ecosystem (1)

Health Risks for humans: At the entrance of the park there is an imminent risk of contagious diseases like HIV due to prostitution activity affecting not only the soldiers who works there but also the tourists. (1)

Legal Protection: Law enforcement raises legal protection of gorillas (1)

Costs: The habituation process is expensive and time-‐consuming (Two years for the implementation) (1)

-‐ Negative reaction of International Community: If evidenced tourism over exploration (1)

Arguments 'Pro' Habituation: 09 Arguments 'Contra Habituation: 10

Rating (Points): 20 Rating (Points): 23

Pros and Cons table: A collection of the advantages and disadvantages of habituating new gorilla groups at the Bwindi Park.


Recommendation and discussion

Based on the evidence presented in the pros and cons table above, the habituation of an additional group of mountain gorilla for tourist viewing is not recommended.

This recommendation is made on top of the four overriding objectives stated by UWA which comprises both aspects of social development and conservation enhancement.

The ICD approach has proven to be a successful model whilst including people on wildlife conservation. In terms of social development, it helped the creation of a more wealth region with people benefiting from the increased level of tourists visiting the area. These benefits, not only relates to more money for the local communities, but also to an improved infrastructure with better health system, transport and education. As for conservation enhancement, it has also brought important benefits for the gorillas, especially those related to their health condition.

Clearly, an improved economic and social condition came to life with the ICD. However, when observing the harms triggered by the economical exploration of the gorillas, a scenario of an unfair trade is presented, and is against them.

Sharing more than 98% of the genetic material with humans, mountain gorillas are extremely vulnerable to diseases-‐spread. Even having their health monitored, a disease may be transmitted to other components of the group and in more severe cases this can be death sentence for an entire band. This exposes the limitations of a monitoring system which intends to enhance the health of the gorillas.

The risks of gorillas being constantly exposed to human contact are not restricted to the spread of diseases. Habituation may last two years and this represents a stress-‐test for the gorillas. A stressed gorilla is more susceptible of a weaker immunologic system and more critically, the reproductive rates may be reduced. In such a small number of remaining wild gorillas in the world, reproduction is the key factor to the continuity of the species. Moreover, after habituation, gorillas are more vulnerable to pouching as they may not see humans as a threat.

Despite being an important source of income for the region, the gorilla tourism is not sustainable considering the two main UWA’s objective which is to maintain the health of the gorillas and enhance biodiversity. To attend the objectives related to social aspects (increase of tourism revenue and spread the benefits of tourism development among local communities to reduce poverty), alternative sources of income are recommended.

The natural richness of Bwindi Park should be explored with alternative activities such as forest trekking, bird-‐watching and eco-‐adventure sports at the river.


Expanding activities across the park is a sustainable alternative that would preserve the biodiversity and the gorillas welfare whilst still providing a reasonable source of income to the locals.


Conclusion

The table of evidence showed that possible downsides of habituating another group of gorillas for tourism purposes outweigh the benefits in terms of relevance to what is asked by UWA.

The recommendation against the habituation of a new gorilla group was centred in arguments linked to four overriding objectives presented by UWA, related to both social development and conservation enhancement.

Economic benefits of gorillas tourism favoring the local community was presented as well as the dangerous risks they are exposed.

More sustainable ways of profiting from the wild whilst maintaining the ecosystem were presented as diversified approaches that would meet UWA's objectives.


References

The Open University (2009) U116 Environment: journeys through a changing world, DVD, Milton Keynes, The Open University

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Gorillas habituation for tourist viewing in Uganda

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