IGCP – the project WWF runs with the Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) – is safeguarding the future of the world's last 700 mountain gorillas by protecting the forest where they are found. Protection of the gorillas and their habitat also provides hundreds of thousands of people with a steady supply of freshwater and generates millions of pounds in tourism revenue in one of the world's poorest countries.

In a country ravaged by war and genocide, mountain gorillas are a beacon of hope, not least because they have survived the horrors of the last 15 years. But poverty, a refugee crisis and agricultural pressures threaten the last forest refuges of the species. If we don't save the gorillas, thousands of people who live and work on the edges around their forest home will suffer too.


Funds generated from viewers votes will go towards a project that will benefit the 700 mountain gorillas in the region. Key threats are poaching (including the trafficking of baby gorillas), habitat loss to agricultural land conversion, and disease. This project will fund human/wildlife conflict mitigation activities, support alternative livelihood options and meet the water needs of local communities. Staff will be provided with transport, and computer-based land monitoring systems will be put in place to track incursions into the park.


Despite years of civil war, Rwanda has maintained much of its biodiversity. Forest covers nearly 20% of the country and harbours many plants and animals including leopards, monkeys, forest hog, bongo and pangolins. Besides its world-renowned mountain gorilla population, Rwanda is home to 96 mammal, 665 bird, 31 amphibian, 206 reptile and 2,288 plant species.

With more than 8.6 million people, Rwanda has one of the highest population densities in the world (328/sq km compared with 248/sq km in the UK). This places great demands on the natural habitat.