Is gorilla tracking ethical? This is one of the common question asked by visitors which is very crucial since this is a baseline for conserving nature rather than encroaching on the life and habitat for the wild endangered primates. Ethics are important for a number of reasons. First, ethics are important because they give us a baseline for understanding the concepts of right and wrong thus with this wildlife Authorities in both countries of Uganda and Rwanda have taken precautions of issuing permits and the revenue collected diverted toward conserving the environment and the surrounding communities for ethical gorilla trekking. Ethics help us to have a ready understanding of how to react to a certain situation long before that situation happens
From our earliest days of life, we start to learn from those around us. These learned behaviors add to the traits that we are already born with and help to shape us into the person we will become. As part of this learning process, we develop what will become our norms. It’s upon this that Dian Fossey was able to understand the nature of mountain gorillas for over 18 years through habituation which made encountering with these primates easy since they poses 98.9% human DNA and can adapt to relate with human beings and have human like features of defending their territories from foreign threats and as well friendly when there no threats to their territories and thus setting ethical gorilla trekking standards.
Uganda wildlife Authority more so developed guidelines upon which travelers can follow during tracking to ensure that there is no harm created between human beings and the endangered primates in a process of slowly adopting to human presence. Therefore tourists should try their best to leave the environment as natural as it should be in relation to established conservation programs and ethical gorilla trekking.
Simple rules include; Never to feed the gorillas and should not go for trekking while ill especially with infectious diseases such as flu, T.B or any other air borne disease since the gorillas can contract the infection, washing hands prior to trekking, distancing yourself from gorilla families once you sport them, avoid using flash cameras which scares the families and can act as a sign of provocation, avoid making noise while in the jungle and among others,
With these ethics and others that are issued to you before embarking on your adventure to the mountain gorillas ethically portrays a good relationship between humans and the endangered primates all through the adventure.
For detailed information about gorilla trekking in Uganda and securing a gorilla trekking permit, you can always contact safari vacations & travel services ltd for your ‘’inquiries lies our pride”.