Visit Rwanda and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) have launched a new innovative use of the popular photo-sharing app Instagram to protect and conserve gorillas and promote sustainable wildlife tourism in the country.
Rwanda is home to mountain gorillas, and their protection has been a conservation success story. Over the past decades, the population has grown to over 1 000 individuals, up from just 480 in 2010.
The newly launched “Gorilla Gram” allows visitors to Volcanoes National Park to add provided tags to photos that will help rangers, researchers, and monitoring teams keep track of gorilla groups and individuals. The platform works with aggregation systems that store the photographs in “smart” galleries. These smart galleries from tourist photos will aid in the monitoring capabilities of scientists and park rangers while capturing memorable moments for tourists.
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‘Those looking to make positive change and environmental impacts through travel need look no further than gorilla tracking in Rwanda,’ said Chief Tourism Officer of the Rwanda Development Board Michaella Rugwizangoga. ‘Gorilla Gram allows guests an unparalleled opportunity to make an unforgettable wildlife encounter and be an active part of conservation work that can be shared with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming guests to Rwanda and inviting them to work with us and add their own experiences to Gorilla Gram.’
Pictures: Getaway gallery
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