When you think of the word Rwanda, what do you think of? To lots of people, it is the breathtaking scenery of the green hills, volcanoes covered with mist, and calm lakes. However, along with scenic beauty, Rwanda has been accumulating one of the most humbling conservation stories of Africa under its belt. Mountain gorillas, which were once faced with extinction by lions and rhinos who previously vanished, are some of the animals that are now back in the land of a thousand hills.
This article takes you to the heart of Rwanda and its conservation story that is all about resilience and community participation, and savvy leadership that has transformed the national parks from parks that were previously at risk to now secure havens of not only wildlife, but also safe grounds for tourists.
1️⃣Suffering Begins, Dreams Full of Hope
In the 1990s, Rwanda experienced both social and political tragedy as well as environmental destruction. Protected areas that were neglected during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi were wiped out due to poaching and deforestation. Indicatively, Akagera National Park was deprived of its lions and rhinos, and other parks were ruthlessly destroyed during that dark era.
Nevertheless, with the government's determination and collaboration with environmental protection organizations, very gradually, Rwanda had started a national healing of sorts, not only with its citizens, but nature as well.
2️⃣Gorilla Conservation in Volcanoes National Park
Conservation of the endangered mountain gorilla is one of the most sparkling markers of this success story. These immense, gentle giants have found a refuge in the lush, misty forests in the Volcanoes National Park, and this has been made possible through the decades of hard work by the rangers, the researchers, and the community members.
As of today, the country renders refuge to more than 30 per cent of the worldwide population of the mountain gorilla. What makes this even more inspirational is the forum in which the local communities have been incorporated. Gorilla tourism also contributes greatly to the share of the revenues of the parks, which are shared with the bordering villages in building schools, health centers, and infrastructural developments. This has resulted in a situation where the local people have been converted into guardians and not poachers since they are realizing that a prosperous population of wild animals translates to prosperity for them as well.
The annual Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony is to celebrate the newborn gorillas and create awareness all over the world.
3️⃣Big Five Return to Akagera National Park
The second Rwanda conservation revival chapter can be seen in Akagera National Park, located in the eastern part of the country. Cattle and poachers once roamed over Akagera, but the Big Five, the infamous lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo, now live here.
Seven lions, originally introduced into Akagera in 2015 after almost two decades of absence, arrived in South Africa. Its population has now increased to triple, and in 2017, biologists once again introduced eastern black rhinos in the park, a species that had gone locally extinct in Rwanda. Today, the Akagera is believed to be one of the safest and most secure parks in Africa, and animals move freely with surveillance units of the anti-poaching patrols and aerial control.
4️⃣Why Rwanda’s Model Works
The uniqueness of the success of Rwanda in its conservation is that it is concentrated on the community. The government and the local conservation NGOs have collaborated with locals instead of kicking them out of the protected areas, giving them incomes in the form of employment as rangers, guides, and in these lodges. Also, a share of the tourist income, around 10 percent, is directly invested in community-based development projects.
Rwanda has also developed good anti-poaching policies and developed wildlife surveillance infrastructure, such as drones, GPS collars, and camera traps to monitor animal activities and stop illegal activities.
5️⃣New Projects on the Horizon
Rwanda is not finished yet. The government has great plans concerning the Gishwati-Mukura National Park, which is a forest corridor connecting Nyungwe and Volcanoes National Parks. A former heavily degraded forest, this is being replenished to provide a critical habitat to chimpanzees, golden monkeys, and a myriad of birds.
In the meantime, Nyungwe National Park, one of the oldest rainforests in Africa, remains one of the biodiversity hotspots, encompassing 13 primate species and more than 300 species of birds. It has just gained entry into the UNESCO World Heritage list, and this cements its significance on the globe.
🌿 Final Thoughts
The case of Rwanda teaches us that conservation is not only possible but even under expensive circumstances. The populations of wildlife can recover, the ecosystems can regenerate, and the lives of people can get better with a mix of proper political will, local participation, and savvy policies towards the tourism industry.
To African countries, which are interested in reviving or safeguarding their natural heritage, Rwanda serves as a perfect inspiration. And to the travellers, it promises to experience one of the nature recovery testimonies of the world, where each visit will keep the species on Earth and the communities to which they belong safe.
That is why next time you imagine Rwanda, just imagine not only hills and lakes but also lions roaring in Akagera, gorillas through the mist in Volcanoes, and a nation that decided to heal the land and the people, together.
Read: How Tourism in Rwanda Supports Wildlife Conservation and Local Communities?, Top 7 Reasons Why Rwanda Is Africa’s Cleanest and Safest Travel Destination, 5 Must-Visit Natural Wonders in Rwanda for Nature Lovers
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