Virtual Gorilla Trekking Introduced in Uganda.

The Director of Tourism, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Mahoro Eunice explained virtual Gorilla Trekking which involves stationing of cameras within The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park so that trackers will only be able to track Gorillas with the help of Global Positioning Systems. (GPS) coordinates.

She said all this will be possible but one has to log on onto a website www.friendgorilla.org. This website will work same way as face book, My space and Twitter. Once you befriend a gorilla you will be interacting with your gorilla friend on a weekly basis and you will get updates on the movements of your gorilla friend in Bwindi.

All one will need to do is pay one dollar or an equivalent in Ugandan shillings using any mobile telephone network.

It will be done in such away that, once one buys or befriends a gorilla(s), they will be able to follow births, new relationships and the genealogy of your gorilla friend all life long. Though you don’t have to be on the social network site, you can track your Gorilla friend on www.friendgorilla.org site by going to the web page Goetrack.

Mahoro explained that come 24th September, 2009, the Nshongi group Gorilla family will be lunched by tracking this biggest family of Gorillas with 34 individual members which has been habituated for tracking recently.

This is the year of the gorilla and we want to get everyone on board. The Uganda Wildlife Authority will have many campaigns starting August 31st, from Gorilla road shows, culminating in a fundraising corporate gala at Kampala Serena Hotel and they hope to raise about (Us $1 Million), Tourism contributed $ 600 Million and the biggest chunk came fro, Gorilla tracking and currently, the tourism sector contributes 4% of the country’s GDP. It is hoped that the money that has been raised will be used for infrastructural development i.e constructing clinics around the National Parks and one project that will be initiated by the community.

Inquire

Book Gorilla Trekking Safari

Back to Top