Giving these baby gorillas a name will help save their lives

Image: Philip Lee Harvey, Corbis

Next month, 24 wild mountain gorillas in Rwanda will be named during a traditional ceremony that has become an important part of the conservation effort for the animals.

In Rwanda, a naming ceremony is traditionally performed when human babies are born. The Tourism and Conservation Department decided to apply this to newborn mountain gorillas after the animals' habitat was destroyed and they became a target for poachers; the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists them as "Critically Endangered."

The 11th annual gorilla naming ceremony, Kwita Izina, will take place at Volcanoes National Park, near the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Sept. 5.

By creating individual recognition of the gorillas, authorities have found, it is easier to track and protect them.

Image: Fabian von Poser, Corbis

The efforts to increase the gorilla population have paid off so far: There's been a 26.3% increase in their numbers since the 2003 census.

There are now more than 300 mountain gorillas in Rwanda's Virguna Mountains, and the population has increased to about 800 gorillas across Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda.

The names of the baby gorillas are chosen by people associated with the tourism and conservation industry, and traditional Rwandan names are chosen to match the character of the baby or the circumstances of its birth.

In 2005, Rwanda's President Paul Kagame named one of a pair of twin gorillas Byishimo, which means "happiness," to celebrate the rare birth and survival of twins.

Rare twins Happiness and Gift, were named during Kwita Izina in 2005.


Image: Frans Lanting, Corbis

Ambassador Yamina Karitanyi, Head of the Tourism & Conservation Department under the Rwanda Development Board says the tradition, "now serves to play a significant role in the monitoring of each individual gorilla in their habitat and with their families." Karitanyi said that Rwanda now has four national parks and about 9% of the country is classified as protected land.

This year will also launch the Kwita Izina Awards, recognizing local conservationists for their lifetime contributions to conservation and tourism and for achievements improving tourism and the protection of the wildlife in Rwanda globally.

The evening before the naming ceremony there is a big community party called Igitaramo, which features traditional dances, storytelling and other cultural activities.

Image: Andrew Schoeman/ NIS/Minden Pictures/Corbis

Throughout the year the Tourism and Conservation Department works closely with communities to create conservation programs for local wildlife and to educate people on environmental sustainability.

Five percent of the revenue from tourism goes to the communities around the national parks to create social programs.

An East Africa Tourist Visa will allow international visitors to travel not just to Rwanda, but to Uganda and Kenya as well, so you can really absorb the different cultures of Africa. Tourists can also opt to take a guided tour from the capital of Kigali to Kinigi, where Kwita Izina is held, to learn more about Rwanda.

Image: Themba Hadebe/Associated Press