Common use of Development of Ecotourism and Gorilla Viewing Clause in Contracts

Development of Ecotourism and Gorilla Viewing. In certain situations, ape-based ecotourism can play an important role in raising conservation awareness and generating funds for conservation and development. The most successful great- ape tourism initiative is that built around East African mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas have not been hunted for food, and their more open habitat can allow visual contact over hundreds of meters, so they have been relatively easy to habituate to close human presence. Lowland gorillas are generally much harder to habituate; they have experienced hunting and because the vegetation in their habitat more often impedes vision, the animals and humans often detect each other only when they are in close proximity, provoking fear and stress in both gorillas and humans. Furthermore, habituation for tourism present risks to gorillas including the introduction of human illnesses and loss of fear of humans, including hunters. Cross River Gorillas present particular challenges for habituation. In addition to their wariness of humans because of a recent history of intense hunting, and the dense vegetation in their habitat, the small population is fragmented, and individual groups range over large areas in rugged and inaccessible terrain. Within the range of the Cross River Gorilla, several ecotourism initiatives have already been developed that do not involve gorilla viewing (for instance, at Afi), and there are many opportunities for such tourism to grow. During workshops on the conservation of the Cross River Gorilla, potential benefits and costs from developing ecotourism were evaluated. Recommendations were agreed with the guiding principles being that 1) ecotourism is not limited to gorilla habituation and viewing and 2) ecotourism should be seen as part of an overall tourism package that includes many aspects and services. Being mindful of these considerations, agreement was reached on the following points: 1) Ecotourism can bring benefits for conservation and development, but can also have negative impacts on the environment and human culture, and can distract attention from core conservation needs. 2) Because of the risks to gorilla health and survival from disease, stress, and vulnerability to hunting, international concern has been expressed about the habituation of gorillas, especially Cross River Gorillas, for the purposes of tourism. 3) Participants agreed to endorse whatever recommendations may arise from an independent feasibility study of gorilla-based tourism to be undertaken at Afi Mountain in 2006-7. 4) Participants will not endorse any further gorilla habituation efforts elsewhere in the Cross River Gorilla‟s range until any outcomes at Afi have been reviewed.

Development of Ecotourism and Gorilla Viewing. In certain situations, ape-based ecotourism can play an important role in raising conservation awareness and generating funds for conservation and development. The most successful great- great-ape tourism initiative is that built around East African mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas have not been hunted for food, and their more open habitat can allow visual contact over hundreds of meters, so they have been relatively easy to habituate to close human presence. Lowland gorillas are generally much harder to habituate; they have experienced hunting and because the vegetation in their habitat more often impedes vision, the animals and humans often detect each other only when they are in close proximity, provoking fear and stress in both gorillas and humans. Furthermore, habituation for tourism present risks to gorillas including the introduction of human illnesses and loss of fear of humans, including hunters. Cross River Gorillas present particular challenges for habituation. In addition to their wariness of humans because of a recent history of intense hunting, and the dense vegetation in their habitat, the small population is fragmented, and individual groups range over large areas in rugged and inaccessible terrain. Within the range of the Cross River Gorilla, several ecotourism initiatives have already been developed that do not involve gorilla viewing (for instance, at Afi), and there are many opportunities for such tourism to grow. During workshops on the conservation of the Cross River Gorilla, potential benefits and costs from developing ecotourism were evaluated. Recommendations were agreed with the guiding principles being that 1) ecotourism is not limited to gorilla habituation and viewing and 2) ecotourism should be seen as part of an overall tourism package that includes many aspects and services. Being mindful of these considerations, agreement was reached on the following points: 1) Ecotourism can bring benefits for conservation and development, but can also have negative impacts on the environment and human culture, and can distract attention from core conservation needs. 2) Because of the risks to gorilla health and survival from disease, stress, and vulnerability to hunting, international concern has been expressed about the habituation of gorillas, especially Cross River Gorillas, for the purposes of tourism. 3) Participants agreed to endorse whatever recommendations may arise from an independent feasibility study of gorilla-based tourism to be undertaken at Afi Mountain in 2006-7. 4) Participants will not endorse any further gorilla habituation efforts elsewhere in the Cross River Gorilla‟s Gorilla’s range until any outcomes at Afi have been reviewed.

Development of Ecotourism and Gorilla Viewing. In certain situations, ape-based ecotourism can play an important role in raising conservation awareness and generating funds for conservation and development. The most successful great- great-ape tourism initiative is that built around East African mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas have not been hunted for food, and their more open habitat can allow visual contact over hundreds of meters, so they have been relatively easy to habituate to close human presence. Lowland gorillas are generally much harder to habituate; they have experienced hunting and because the vegetation in their habitat more often impedes vision, the animals and humans often detect each other only when they are in close proximity, provoking fear and stress in both gorillas and humans. Furthermore, habituation for tourism present risks to gorillas including the introduction of human illnesses and loss of fear of humans, including hunters. Cross River Gorillas gorillas present particular challenges for habituation. In addition to their wariness of humans because of a recent history of intense hunting, and the dense vegetation in their habitat, the small population is fragmented, and individual groups range over large areas in rugged and inaccessible terrain. Within the range of the Cross River Gorillagorilla, several ecotourism initiatives have already been developed that do not involve gorilla viewing (for instance, at Afi), and there are many opportunities for such tourism to grow. During workshops on the conservation of the Cross River Gorillagorilla, potential benefits and costs from developing ecotourism were evaluated. Recommendations were agreed with the guiding principles principals being that 1) ecotourism is not limited to gorilla habituation and viewing and 2) ecotourism should be seen as part of an overall tourism package that includes many aspects and services. Being mindful of these considerations, agreement was reached on the following points: 1) Ecotourism can bring benefits for conservation and development, but can also have negative impacts on the environment and human culture, and can distract attention from core conservation needs. 2) Because of the risks to gorilla health and survival from disease, stress, and vulnerability to hunting, international concern has been expressed about the habituation of gorillas, especially Cross River Gorillasgorillas, for the purposes of tourism. 3) Participants agreed to endorse whatever recommendations may arise from an independent feasibility study of gorilla-based tourism to be undertaken at Afi Mountain in 2006-7. 4) Participants will not endorse any further gorilla habituation efforts elsewhere in the Cross River Gorilla‟s gorilla’s range until any outcomes at Afi have been reviewed.