Bwindi Gorilla Conservation Centre Opens in Uganda

The new facility at Bwindi Lodge aims to educate visitors and local communities on gorilla health and conservation efforts.

The Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT) has announced the opening of the Bwindi Gorilla Conservation Centre at Bwindi Lodge. The centre opened on World Gorilla Day.

The facility highlights the work of VSPT, Conservation through Public Health (CTPH), and Gorilla Doctors. Its opening coincides with 25 years of Bwindi Lodge, which began in 1999 after ranger Phenny Gongo identified the site for a mobile camp.

Praveen Moman, founder of Volcanoes Safaris, stated the lodge's development was part of the company's vision to become a "Great Apes company Africa." Moman added that a long-term commitment to gorilla conservation is central to their ethos, and the centre serves as a "practical testament to it."

The Bwindi Gorilla Conservation Centre offers space for researchers, lodge guests, schoolchildren, and local residents to learn about the work of its partner organizations. An additional area at Bwindi Bar will provide training for community members.

Dr Sonya Kahlenberg, Executive Director of Gorilla Doctors, noted that her organization has worked for forty years to keep eastern gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC healthy through veterinary care. She said the new centre allows visitors and the local community to engage with their mission and demonstrates Volcanoes Safaris' commitment to conservation education.

Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder of Conservation Through Public Health, congratulated Volcanoes Safaris on the centre's opening. She described it as a milestone in their partnership, creating a permanent space to observe the connections between gorilla health, human health, and livelihoods.

This centre provides a direct link for travelers and hosts to understand the conservation efforts supporting the wildlife in these jungle environments.