In a bid to protect the endangered mountain gorillas from getting infected with the deadly CoronaVirus, gorilla national park in Rwanda, Congo, and Uganda has temporarily closed for gorilla trekking and other tourism activities in these parks. YES, there are no more gorilla tours to Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Whereas Uganda wild authority has not officially announced the closure o Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, it’s likely that no more travelers are going to trek gorillas in the two parks at the moment. CoronaVirus also called Covid19 broke out in China in December in 2029 and has spread to the whole world within 4 months. Virunga National Park will be closed to visitors till 1st June 2020 while Volcanoes National Park and other primate national parks i.e Nyungwe Forest and Gishwati Mukura National Parks will be temporarily closed.
Why mountain gorillas?
Yes, mountain gorillas are prone to infectious diseases such as flu, cough, cold and all other respiratory diseases. Mountain gorillas share 99% of human genes that make them susceptible to human diseases especially communicable ones. Gorillas are one of the critically endangered species listed on the red list of IUCN. During the 1970s, mountain gorillas were on the verge of extinction was it not by the efforts of Dian Fossey who lost her life to save mountain gorillas. According to gorilla doctors, mountain gorillas are very sensitive to human disease; allowing travelers to visit them at this time will put gorillas at a risk. Whereas there are rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. During the pre gorilla trekking, travelers are introduced to the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking. These include:
• Keep a distance of seven meters away from gorillas
• Do not use flashlight cameras
• Avoid direct eye contacts
• Do not trek gorillas when sick
• Turn back your faces when coughing/sneezing
• Do not touch the gorillas
• Do not litter in the park
Whereas these measures have been out in place, they are not enough to safeguard the endangered mountain gorillas from the deadly Coronavirus hence the reason for the temporary closure of gorilla national parks all over.
About Gorilla Tourism in Africa
Gorilla Trekking is one of the most done tourist activities in Africa. An encounter with mountain gorillas was ranked as one of the best wildlife experiences in the whole world which attracts a high number of travelers from all over the world. Gorilla trekking is lonely done in two regions ie Bwindi Forest National Park in Uganda and the Virunga Conservation area shared by Volcanoes National Park Rwanda, Virunga National Park Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. Altogether, the world has roughly 1004 mountain gorillas shared between Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Travelers going to see gorillas are required to buy permits from responsible government bodies, Uganda wildlife authority in Uganda, Rwanda Development Board in Rwanda and IUCN in Congo. The cost of gorilla permits varies in each country. Gorilla permit prices are $1500 in Rwanda and $450 in Congo. Uganda gorilla permits cost $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens. All gorilla permit bookings are required at least 6 months before the trekking date.
Symptoms of Covid19
Travelers are advised to keep keen and observe the symptoms of Coronavirus. They include:
1. High temperatures
2. Cough
3. Fever
4. Tiredness
5. Difficulty breathing
6. Red eyes
Protection Measures against Corona Virus
World Health Organization has put measures to guide people all over the world to protect from coronavirus. Among the ways to reduce chances of catching the deadly Coronavirus include:
1. Keep a distance of at least 1 meter away from a person suspected to have CoronaVirus
2. use Masks to protect your respiratory system
3. Ventilate the area more often
4. Do not visit Markets and cultural centers
5. Eat only cooked foods
6. Drink only bottled water
7. Clarify the epidemiological situation when planning a trip
8. Thoroughly wash your hands with alcohol based sanitizer. Hand washing Must be regularly
9. Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth
10. Covering your mouth and nose is recommended
11. Stay home, avoid crowded places (markets and churches)
12. Avoid using public transport means
13. Self-isolation if you have any symptoms of corona Virus
14. Seek medical services the moment you develop any symptom of Corona Virus
Conclusively, therefore, all gorilla tours to Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been temporarily shut down till further notice to protect the endangered gorillas from the deadly Coronavirus.
