Is Gorilla Trekking ethical? Gorilla trekking safari is one of the most popular things for people to do in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo when they want to see wildlife. This is because getting close to primates is very exciting. Many people go to Africa because they want to see these animals in their natural habitats as they go about their daily lives. Is it right to go on a gorilla trek? Some people say that having too many people around primates is an invasion of their privacy and could subject them to diseases or, even worse, make them feel uncomfortable or make them more likely to attack. During gorilla treks, these groups don’t think its right to take pictures or videos of gorillas or use drones. Dian Fossey, a famous primatologist, told people not to visit gorillas or get close to other animals. She also said that people should leave gorillas alone in the wild.
Fossey and others may have a point, but it is important to remember that gorillas live in poor countries that don’t have enough money to protect the primates raised outside of tourists. Gorilla tourism is the only sure way to get the money needed to protect gorillas. Even without tourists, foreign wildlife agencies and local governments could still give money, but this has not been enough. If is gorilla trekking safari well for gorillas? If you learn more about Fossey’s conservation work, you will see that government officials were less likely to protect primates because they didn’t see any clear benefits to them. Some of them may have even worked with hunters. Going on a gorilla trekking safari brings in money from tourists, which is reason enough for the local governments to protect the primates.
To go gorilla trekking safari, you need a gorilla permit, which costs US$1,500 in Rwanda, US$700 in Uganda, and US$450 in Congo. Even though the permits are expensive, they are meant to protect endangered species by limiting the number of people who can see them each day. Gorilla trekking safari is a good thing to do because it is the only way to get the money needed for activities that help protect gorillas.
Ethical things to think about when going gorilla trekking safari. The money collected from people going to see the primates has helped the three governments pay for things like helping sick people get medical care (in partnership with the Gorilla Doctors), paying the salaries of Game Rangers, and doing ongoing study on primates. So, gorilla trekking safari is a good thing to do.
Gorilla trekking safari is moral because it is well-planned and follows strict rules. The rules for gorilla trekking help keep the primates safe, protect their native habitats, and stop any kind of stress. Rangers always give tourists the rules or guidelines for gorilla trekking safari during the briefing for gorilla trekking. These steps were taken to keep the primates safe from any risks or threats that could happen.
Why going to see gorillas is moral. It is important to remember that the number of mountain gorillas has grown over time. For example, when Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park opened to the public in 1993, there was only one gorilla family. Now, there are 23 gorilla families. Part of the reason for this was that most former poachers were trained and hired as Guides, Game Rangers, and Porters. They have become the animals’ guardians. Because of gorilla tourism, a lot of people who live in towns near the park have jobs and don’t have to leave their homes to find work. They work as guides for tourists and as hotel staff. Some people sell their art to tourists who come to the national parks. This gives them the money they need to pay fees and feed their families.
The Morals of Gorilla Trekking safaris. As was already said, gorilla trekking has also become a big way for the governments of Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo to make money. Some of the money made from gorilla treks is used to help local communities become more self-sufficient by building roads, schools, hospitals, and other things. The economic value of the treks has pushed the local communities to work together to protect and preserve wildlife, as well as raise knowledge of its importance.
So, we can say that gorilla trekking safari is moral because it has led to the growth of many different industries in the countries where the parks are. Gorilla Trekking has made it harder to kill gorillas, sell them as pets, and hurt gorilla groups. If you leave the gorillas in the wild without tourists, some people won’t see why it’s important to keep them living. If people aren’t careful, they will take gorillas as pets, kill them for their meat, and move into their environment, which is a big problem.
