Deep In Rwanda’s Rainforest, Gorillas Have a Naming Ceremony

British supermodel Naomi Campbell named a baby gorilla Intarutwa at a naming ceremony held for mountain gorillas.

A male mountain gorilla in Rwanda.

(Photo: AP)

Deep in Rwanda’s rainforest lies Volcanoes National Park – the site of the longest-running gorilla study in the world. In a unique effort to bring people and nature closer, a naming ceremony called ‘Kwita Izina’ is held for baby gorillas in which celebrities are invited to name gorillas who were born in the previous 12 months.

On 6, September 2019, British supermodel Naomi Campbell named a baby gorilla Intarutwa.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature changed the status of mountain gorillas from ‘critically endangered’ to ‘endangered.’

Diligent conservation efforts across Congo, Uganda and Rwanda have helped bring back, to a certain extent at least, mountain gorillas from the brink of extinction.

Members of a family of mountain gorillas.(Photo: AP)

The total number of mountain gorillas has risen from 680 a decade ago to over 1,000 at present. The mountain gorilla population is split between two regions running hrough Congo, Uganda and Rwanda – one of Africa's smallest and most densely populated countries.

You can even trek in the rainforest. The number of tourists per day is limited, and the price is a steep $1,500 per visit.

Prosper Uwingeli, chief warden of the Volcanoes National Park says, “We don't want to conserve, to protect the park with guns. We want to protect and conserve this park with people who understand why (the need) and who take their responsibilities as well. And that is the only reason to really do and achieve sustainable conservation”

(With inputs from AP)