Mountain Gorilla Population Rises to 1,063 Amid Calls to End Illegal Tracking

What the report says

Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have recorded a rise in mountain gorilla numbers to 1,063, according to conservation officials cited by Nile Post. The report says the total has grown from about 300 in 1990, reflecting decades of conservation work across the region’s protected forests and parks.

The figures were presented during Uganda’s national World Gorilla Day event at Ruhija Community Playground in Rubanda District. Officials said 459 gorillas are in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, while the remainder are distributed across Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Congo’s Virunga National Park. World Gorilla Day, observed globally on September 24, is used to promote gorilla conservation and awareness.

Nile Post reported that officials linked the population increase to habitat protection, routine monitoring, law enforcement and greater community participation near protected areas. Local leaders also urged more support for residents living alongside wildlife, arguing that conservation should bring tangible benefits to nearby communities.

The celebration also included warnings about illegal gorilla tracking in the Kigezi region. A government representative said unauthorized tracking can undermine both conservation and tourism, which are important sources of national revenue and local income. More broadly, the report highlights the balance conservation agencies are trying to maintain between protecting endangered wildlife and supporting communities that share space with gorilla habitats.