Nineteen baby gorillas will be named this year at a ceremony on September 2 at the Volcanoes National Park, the oldest having been born just after last year’s ceremony, and among them a set of twins.
Now in its 12th year, Kwita Izina, a uniquely Rwandan event, is not only a celebration of newly born mountain gorilla babies, but also serves to raise awareness of the importance of the protection of species and their habitats at community, national, regional and international levels.
Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is home to an estimated two-thirds of the Virunga Massif population of 500 mountain gorillas, which spans Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. An additional 400 mountain gorillas live in the forested “island” of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
Last year’s Kwita Izina saw almost 500 international and 20,000 Rwandan attendees.
These activities, which will take place from August 27 to September 2, include the naming Ceremony, a ‘Conversation on Conservation’ Conference, a Conservation and Tourism exhibition, community project launches, a fundraising gala dinner and unique to only this event; Kwita Izina Scientific tours.
