Gorilla tourism goes online in Uganda

Mountain gorilla tracking is hard work; up steep slopes, through dense but fascinating scenery.
A good level of fitness and patience is a must and that means gorilla tracking is not a holiday for tourists who want instant, easy viewing from the comfort of an air conditioned van or jeep.
It is for those with determination and the reward for the lucky ones sometimes is to be in the presence of one of the world’s gentlest, rarest and most reclusive gentle giants.
Technology is however set to change things and make gorilla tracking easy and cheap for those who cannot afford a trip to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the southwest of the country near the Rwanda and DR Congo borders.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the apex body on park tourism in the country has introduced an online gorilla programme – a new initiative aimed at addressing the global demand for conservation tourism.
The online project, which is due for launch on September 26, is also aimed at bringing attention to the plight of mountain gorillas that have suffered at the hands of man over the years.
Users will have to donate a minimum of $1 to be able to track the movements of individual gorillas through a custom-made website.
Strategically placed video cameras in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park will stream video footage of the gorillas to audiences worldwide.
“Through the www.friendagorilla.org website, gorilla lovers will have a chance to befriend any individual gorilla from the seven habituated gorilla families in the Bwindi National Park at $1," Serapio Rukundo, the junior minister for tourism said.
Moses Mapesa, the UWA executive director said the website’s menu will include sections like geo-track that will allow users to track gorillas using GPRS coordinates.
"The platform will also allow users on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace to 'befriend a gorilla," Mapesa said.
In executing this world first in park tourism, game rangers will track the gorillas using the normal methods and will register the location of the gorilla families using GPRS.
Social interactions within the groups will also be recorded, allowing subscribers to keep up to date with the whereabouts and activities of gorillas they will have befriended. Only gorillas accustomed to human contact will be included in the project.
Last year gorilla tourism raised $225 million for Uganda, providing 37 percent of the country’s national annual earnings from tourism, and more than half of UWA’s internally generated revenue.
The online tracking initiative UWA officials reckon will raise an additional $700,000 a year.
Tracking gorillas physically costs upwards of $500 per person, and visitors are strictly limited to small groups in order to minimize contact between gorillas and humans.
Permits for such journeys are often fully booked months in advance and this has always caused friction between tour operators and UWA. With the online initiative, it will be possible for tourists to follow the gorillas from the comfort of their home or office.
There are an estimated 720 mountain gorillas left worldwide, over half of which live in Uganda. According to The World Conservation Union, three of the four species of gorilla are in danger of extinction.
This new online initiative has been designed to coincide with the United Nations declaration of 2009 as the year of the gorilla.