International Gorilla Conservation Programme
Encyclopedia
The International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) was formed in 1991 to ensure that the critically endangered mountain gorilla
s are conserved in their habitat in the mountain forests of the Virunga Massif in Rwanda
, Uganda
and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
.
, who began to study Rwandan mountain gorillas in the 1960s.
African Wildlife Foundation
(AWF) President Robinson McIlvaine
later said that "There would be no mountain gorillas in the Virungas today ... were it not for Dian Fossey's tireless efforts over many years".
McIlvaine initiated formation of the Mountain Gorilla Project in 1979, the predecessor to the IGCP, while he was president of the AWF.
The International Gorilla Conservation Programme was formally established in 1991 by the AWF, Fauna & Flora International and the World Wide Fund for Nature
.
During the ongoing and linked conflicts of the Rwandan Civil War
(1990-1993) followed by the Rwandan Genocide
of 1994 and the Second Congo War
(1998-2003) the best that could be done was to attempt to support park workers, many of whom lost their lives.
Among other activities, the IGCP works with Virunga Artisans, which markets hand-made products of artisans who live near the Volcanoes
, Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks.
A census of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massif in March and April 2010 showed that there had been a 26.3% increase in the population over the past seven years, an encouraging sign that conservation efforts were succeeding.
|title=About the International Gorilla Conservation Programme
|publisher=The International Gorilla Conservation Programme
|accessdate=2011-10-20}}
|url=http://www.virungaart.com/about.htm
|title=About Virunga Artisans
|publisher=Virunga Artisans
|accessdate=2011-10-15}}
|url=http://africanconservation.org/forum/news-archives-around-africa/704-celebrating-awf-s-40th-anniversary.html
|title=Celebrating AWF's 40th Anniversary
|publisher=African Conservation Foundation
|accessdate=2011-10-18}}
|url=http://www.awf.org/content/headline/detail/1124
|title=Robinson McIlvaine 1913 - 2001
|publisher=AWF
|accessdate=2011-10-18}}
Mountain Gorilla
The Mountain Gorilla is one of the two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla. There are two populations. One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga in the eastern Democratic...
s are conserved in their habitat in the mountain forests of the Virunga Massif in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
.
Origins
The programme grew out of the work of Dian FosseyDian Fossey
Dian Fossey was an American zoologist who undertook an extensive study of gorilla groups over a period of 18 years. She studied them daily in the mountain forests of Rwanda, initially encouraged to work there by famous anthropologist Louis Leakey...
, who began to study Rwandan mountain gorillas in the 1960s.
African Wildlife Foundation
African Wildlife Foundation
The African Wildlife Foundation , founded in 1961 as the African Wildlife Leadership Foundation, is an international conservation organization that focuses on critically important landscapes in Africa....
(AWF) President Robinson McIlvaine
Robinson McIlvaine
Robinson McIlvaine was a career US diplomat who was President of the African Wildlife Foundation from 1978 to 1982.-Early years:McIlvaine was born in Downingtown, Pennsylvania in 1913. He graduated from Harvard College....
later said that "There would be no mountain gorillas in the Virungas today ... were it not for Dian Fossey's tireless efforts over many years".
McIlvaine initiated formation of the Mountain Gorilla Project in 1979, the predecessor to the IGCP, while he was president of the AWF.
The International Gorilla Conservation Programme was formally established in 1991 by the AWF, Fauna & Flora International and the World Wide Fund for Nature
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
.
During the ongoing and linked conflicts of the Rwandan Civil War
Rwandan Civil War
The Rwandan Civil War was a conflict within the Central African nation of Rwanda between the government of President Juvénal Habyarimana and the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front...
(1990-1993) followed by the Rwandan Genocide
Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
of 1994 and the Second Congo War
Second Congo War
The Second Congo War, also known as Coltan War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , and officially ended in July 2003 when the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took power; however, hostilities continue to this...
(1998-2003) the best that could be done was to attempt to support park workers, many of whom lost their lives.
Activities
The International Gorilla Conservation Programme works with the Rwanda Development Board, the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature. The IGCP tries to gain support for conservation among the local communities, and to ensure that the protected area authorities collaborate with these local communities.Among other activities, the IGCP works with Virunga Artisans, which markets hand-made products of artisans who live near the Volcanoes
Volcanoes National Park
For the park in Hawaii, see Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.Volcanoes National Park lies in northwestern Rwanda and borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The national park is known as a haven for the mountain gorilla...
, Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks.
A census of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massif in March and April 2010 showed that there had been a 26.3% increase in the population over the past seven years, an encouraging sign that conservation efforts were succeeding.
Sources
|url=http://www.igcp.org/about/|title=About the International Gorilla Conservation Programme
|publisher=The International Gorilla Conservation Programme
|accessdate=2011-10-20}}
|url=http://www.virungaart.com/about.htm
|title=About Virunga Artisans
|publisher=Virunga Artisans
|accessdate=2011-10-15}}
|url=http://africanconservation.org/forum/news-archives-around-africa/704-celebrating-awf-s-40th-anniversary.html
|title=Celebrating AWF's 40th Anniversary
|publisher=African Conservation Foundation
|accessdate=2011-10-18}}
|url=http://www.awf.org/content/headline/detail/1124
|title=Robinson McIlvaine 1913 - 2001
|publisher=AWF
|accessdate=2011-10-18}}
See also
- Mgahinga Gorilla National ParkMgahinga Gorilla National ParkMgahinga Gorilla National Park is a national park in the far south-west of Uganda near the town of Kisoro.-Location:The park is located in the Virunga Mountains and is contiguous with the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
- Bwindi Impenetrable National ParkBwindi Impenetrable National ParkBwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda in East Africa. The park is part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and is situated along the Democratic Republic of Congo border next to the Virunga National Park and on the edge of the western Great Rift Valley...
- Rwenzori Mountains National ParkRwenzori Mountains National ParkRwenzori Mountains National Park is a Ugandan national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Rwenzori Mountains. Almost in size, the park has Africa's third highest mountain peak and many waterfalls, lakes, and glaciers. The park is known for its beautiful plant life.-History:Rwenzori...
- Virunga National ParkVirunga National ParkThe Virunga National Park , formerly named Albert National Park, is a 7800 square km National Park that stretches from the Virunga Mountains in the South, to the Rwenzori Mountains in the North, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, bordering Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Rwenzori...
- Volcanoes National ParkVolcanoes National ParkFor the park in Hawaii, see Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.Volcanoes National Park lies in northwestern Rwanda and borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The national park is known as a haven for the mountain gorilla...