Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony

Rwanda’s Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony is an initiative of the Rwanda Development Board. The event is held annually in consideration of the baby gorillas born to each gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park in the north of the country, one of the closest ecosystems to the nation’s capital with a thousand hills. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were years of power outages, depending on how many gorillas were born in the previous year, but first a virtual ceremony followed by a physical one. As a result, the situation continued to normalize. Work with the surrounding community to name a baby gorilla in Volcanoes National Park.

The initiation of culture is a centuries-old event. The country has a tradition of people naming their babies in front of the whole family. This has been passed down to gorilla families, as society as a whole observes them and wants to play with them, and rangers and gorilla habit researchers have learned over time how many gorillas were born into each family. 2003 was the year the world celebrated the first official naming of a baby gorilla. Majestic animals are named after their character and behavior.

This has increased the number of mountain gorillas. The reserve is home to 30% of the world’s surviving mountain gorillas. These live freely without being caught, feeding on plants, roots, fruits, and ridges of dead trees in the park as insects. Over time, many baby gorillas have been chosen among the approximately 100 angelic majestic creatures that inhabit the park. This has led to a huge increase in awareness within the country, locals have come to appreciate the benefits of conservation and many poachers have been able to live a life filled with love for these species thanks to an angelic effort.

The Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony is attended by a large number of visitors, including those from abroad. This is largely done by those who have contributed to the conservation of mountain gorillas since at least the time of the great American primatologist Diane Fossey, and their commitment to mountain gorilla conservation is very prominent. The award is held around the Musanze Volcanoes National Park area and is well known as Africa’s leading tourism conservation award. For example, travelers can enjoy music, traditional songs, and food during this time.

The main activity in Volcanoes National Park is mountain gorilla trekking. This allows travelers to spend an hour with the forest inhabitants. It can be visited all year round, but the best time to visit is during the dry season, December to February and June to September, when the forest trails are less slippery, and it is the closest park to Kigali. Travel time to destination is approximately 2 hours. Other activities include golden monkey tracking, guided nature walks, community visits and bird watching. Contact us to know more about the Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony.