Every Year RDB conducts a ceremony called Gorilla naming Ceremony. This Ceremony attracts many tourists, local officials and businessmen across the world but the question is: Why do these humanlike animals deserve such care and consideration?
Reasons are many:
1. The are Rwandan wealth to cherish
They are ranked to be one of the most useful sources of money Rwanda has. Last year, Mountain Gorilla tourism brought to Rwanda not less than $282Million.RDB projects that this sum will double this year nearing $500 Million. Due to that value, Germans attempted to steal them towards Germany in 1978 but Diane Fossey ,a renowned primatologist opposed them.
In general,animals tourism contributes a lot to Rwandan economy. In Akagera National Park, giraffes, lions, hippos, lakes, snakes birds etc… are source of foreign currencies for our economic growth.
2. A new nation with new wealth
Since the death of Diane Fossey, gorillas were mistreated and this harmed the welfare of these animals. However after genocide, steps to give value to these animals were made by Rwandan government.
The Rwandan Mountain Gorillas are the most secured in the world. Different places of the world have different natural reserves where animals live but Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda are unique.
Currently they are around 1000 gorillas. Due to that, these animals deserve kind attention and care.
3. Gorilla naming is our tradition.
In Rwandan culture, naming is a ceremony where friends and families join to name a newborn .For Gorilla babes, Diane Fossey is the one who launched the ceremony when she named her gorillas one Coco and Pucker
Inspired by that, Rwandan officials name gorilla babes.This year that ceremony that will take place on 22, June 2013 at Kinigi District, North Province.
J.P.Gashumba
UM– USEKE.RW
