We visited a special park.The park is open every year for the Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony. This year it was held on the 1st of Sept.

Ir takes place on the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, Musanze District, joining the communities living around the home of the endangered mountain gorillas.

The ceremony sees the naming of 23 baby mountain gorillas born in the last 12 months. 374 baby gorillas have been named since the beginning of the naming ceremony first held in 2005. This enormous construction is made of sticks and bamboo and is an absolute work of art and love.

The Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony is modelled off a centuries-old tradition in which Rwandans name their children in the presence of family and friends. There are other animals depicted on the grounds as well as traditional forms of housing.

The ceremony is, an opportunity to thank the communities who live around the gorilla habitat, research partners, vets and dedicated conservationists, rangers and trackers who protect the gorillas daily.Over the last fifteen years, more than 350 mountain gorillas have been named. Rwandans have become gorilla guardians.

In the 2010 Census, there were 480 mountain gorillas, the 2016 Census report indicated 604 individuals in the Virunga Massif. These efforts have contributed to the increase in mountain gorillas worldwide (1,063) They are no longer critically endangered.

What a wonderful initiative.