Nestled in the misty peaks of southwestern Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park sits close to the ground. It guards one of the world’s rarest animals: the mountain gorilla. For 40 years, kind people have helped these gorillas live. They did not die. Now, a new threat comes. COVID-19, a virus from people, may harm them. The gorillas share much of our DNA. This fact makes them weak against the same bugs that make us sick.
Mountain gorillas share 98% of our DNA. This link makes many folks, like Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, worry a lot. She has cared for these animals for 20 long years. If COVID-19 comes to the gorillas, it could hurt them very badly. The virus finds them much like it finds us, and it can make them ill.
When the world shut down, Uganda lost many guests. The loss of guests hurt park funds. About 60% of the Ugandan Wildlife Authority’s money came from tourism. This cash helps the park run and aids local folks. With few visitors, nature lost its balance. Poaching went up by 30% near Bwindi. The park team made new plans to stop poaching and care for the gorillas’ home, yet the way ahead stays hard and unclear.
When guests came again, strict steps were made to block the virus. Rangers, trackers, and porters learned new health ways. They keep safe while they work with the gorillas. Now, all visitors must wear masks and keep space. The thick trees make space hard to keep. Still, these careful acts help keep a safe ten meters between people and gorillas. They cannot stop all risk.
COVID-19 does more than harm the gorillas. It touches local folk too. Many now lean on wildlife tourism to live. With no visitors, life becomes very hard. The loss might push folk back to ways that hurt both life and the great apes. Nature and people live close together. COVID-19 puts this fine link at risk.
New ways come in this hard time. Local folk try new farm ways. They plant tea near the park. Gorillas do not like tea. This plan helps keep the gorillas and crops apart. It lets the people earn cash and stops the gorillas from coming into fields. In this way, people and gorillas can live side-by-side with less trouble.
Firms like Conservation Through Public Health work hard now. Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka started this group. It helps local health helpers teach good ways of life. They share tips on washing, on keeping safe when near gorillas, and on basic care. This work helps both people and gorillas live well.
The tale of Uganda’s mountain gorillas shows us a big truth. Nature, people, and cash all mix in one life. Now, as we step into a time after the virus, care is a strong tool. Tourism can be a safe way to help both life in the wild and the folks who live near it. If we work with care and bright ideas, we may build a way of life that helps both gorillas and people.
Deep inside the forest, where life pushes on despite dark times, one fact is clear. Our fates are joined. The fate of Uganda’s mountain gorillas rests with the park and with all of us. As the gorillas lift their eyes to the sky, we too should look up. Let us dream of a world where both wild and human lives bloom side by side.
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