Mountain Gorilla Consevation In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Conservation efforts in Bwindi have historically faced a variety of obstacles, which largely emanated from conflicts of interest over land usage, specifically the desire on the part of local community and members to access Park resources. In the past, Bwindi was faced with serious management problems of poaching, pitsawying, gold mining, wildfire, agricultural encroachment, illegal  and removal of forest products, livestock grazing, crop raiding, lack of personnel and equipment. 

During this time the majority of illegal activities have brought under control by law enforcement and  due to population pressure visà vis increased demand for  livelihood needs, the local  communities will continue to depend on the Park’s resources and the tourism. Conservation problems in  the republic of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo meant that all tourists interested in gorilla safaris headed for Bwindi and at this  time, Bwindi can offer  only 10 gorilla viewing permits per day which are  not enough and has caused UWA problems of designing the best “Gorilla Permits Sharing Policy which has not been possible  and secondly, there is  enormous pressure to have more gorillas habituated for tourism which is very  risky to the  continued existence of gorillas and yet already, one of the tourist groups in Bwindi has continued to shrink in group size which is attributed to the  reason in not yet fully known but gorilla contact with humans might be one of the causes. Nevertheless, another group is being habituated in Bwindi and this is  eventually give an  additional six permits though these  are enough for the wide spread market and are compatible with the gorillas’ continued existence, The BINP Tourism Programme emphasizes  continued gorilla tourism activities, constructing and maintaining a network of tourist trails and tourism diversification. The International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) is helping with this.  Community Conservation

The local communities adjacent to BINP are actively involved in contributing to conservation and management of the Park and the Management Advisory Committees and Park Parish Committees have been set up and are functional units linking the entire local people in the neighborhood to conservation. The community conservation programme is addressing community needs as they relate to the long term conservation of BINP through a multiple use programme, a reenuesharing and the programme, and a Conservation Education Programme. Under this section, there is a crucial issue of crop raiding by gorillas. CARD/DTC is helping in advising and implementing a few initiatives. Research and Monitoring Not much research has or is being done concerning gorillas and their habitat. This has been due to a lack of funds, time constraints and a shortage of expertise. Whereas at a broader level, the Uganda Wildlife Authority is currently implementing a Collaborative Research  and Monitoring Programme.