Virunga National Park

Threatened by the destruction of their habitat and by poaching, mountain gorillas experienced a dramatic decline in the 70’s to reach the number of less than 250 individuals in the early 80’s. Thanks to the protection work initiated by the primatologist Dian Fossey and the conservation efforts that followed, the population has increased again and today there are an estimated slightly more 1,000 wild individuals. Despite this rise in the population, the species remains “Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.

Palmyre Conservation decided to support the conservation of mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park because much territory remains unsafe there, mostly because of the presence of armed militia. Gorilla groups are daily monitored by rangers who remove the snares set by poachers and prevent illegal intrusions inside the park, often risking their lives since more than two hundred of them have been killed during their task. The park also manages a rescue center for orphan gorillas whom family groups have been decimated by poachers.

Protecting the Grauer gorillas of Mount Thsiaberimu

Grauer gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) are found exclusively in Democratic Republic of Congo. Highly threatened by poaching and the destruction of its habitat, this subspecies of eastern gorilla is listed as “Critically Endangered” by the IUCN. Global political instability and insecurity in some areas of its range are serious impediments to the development of conservation efforts.

We finance the protection of a small group of Grauer gorillas living on Mount Tshiaberimu and isolated from other populations that live further south. A dedicated team of rangers from the national park monitors and protects the animals on a daily basis while trying to better understand the dynamics of the group in view of possible future reintroductions. Orphan Grauer gorillas currently rehabilitated in a specialized centre in DRC might indeed be released in the area in the future.

Saving the lions of Ishasha
The Ishasha Valley, located on the border between DRC and Uganda, is co-managed by Virunga National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park. The region is home to an incredibly rich and diverse wildlife including hippos, elephants and lions (Panthera leo). Unfortunately, poaching, habitat degradation due to human encroachment and increased armed conflicts have led to a dramatic decline of the lion population. It is estimated to only a few dozen animals.

To conserve this small population, Virunga National Park has built a research station allowing its rangers to daily monitor the lions, identify the individuals and protect them from poachers.

Besides the daily protection of the great apes, the lions and their habitat, Virunga National Park seeks to develop local communities by building hydroelectric power plants that generates electricity in the villages surrounding the park and by building schools and healthcare centers.