COVID-19 AND AFRICA’S

GREAT APES
Challenges and Threats Amidst the COVID-19
Pandemic for Sustaining Conservation through
Responsible Great Ape Tourism

POLICY BRIEF

1
Key Messages
Tourism brings people and great apes into close contact and because of their closely matched DNA
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 a

Africa’s great apes including bonobos,

chimpanzees and gorillas face grave and growing
threats including poaching, habitat loss and
fragmenta�on and wildlife trafficking.1 The
emergence of the highly-infec�ous COVID-19
disease also presents great apes with a new
threat addi�onal to those posed by pre-exis�ng
transmissible human diseases.2 Rangers, guides,
porters, researchers, trackers, tourists and
surrounding communi�es interact on the same
land with habituated great apes and can
transmit diseases to each other when they come
into close proximity.3

Great Ape tourism is ac�ve at 33 sites in 13

countries across west, central and east Africa
(Cameroun, Central African Republic, DR Congo,
Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia,
Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Tanzania, Uganda), involving seven
species/popula�ons (Mountain Gorillas,
Grauer's Gorillas, Western Lowland Gorillas,
Eastern Chimpanzees, Central Chimpanzee,
Western Chimpanzees and Bonobo). For further
details on these loca�ons and popula�ons see
the addendum to this policy brief.

a
The ‘One Health’ approach aligns priori�es for human health and environmental
health, recognizing that each is cri�cal for suppor�ng the other. ‘One Health’ is
consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals and ACBA’s focus on
Sustainable Use as a founda�onal principle for biodiversity conserva�on in
Africa. See h�ps://www.onehealthcommission.org/en/why_one_ health/what_
is_one_health/
b
Tour operators are businesses that combine two or more travel services (e.g.,
transport, accommoda�on, meals, entertainment, sightseeing) and sell them
through travel agencies or directly to final consumers as a single product (called
a package tour) for a global price, See h�ps://tourismnotes.com/tour-operators/
 31

29,30
 5, 6

35
Heighten vigilance to ensure adherence to best prac�ce guidelines for responsible
marke�ng of all tourism services.
Sensi�ze clients about great ape tourism best prac�ce guidelines ahead of the visit
guidelines and hold them accountable.
Sensi�ze clients about great ape visita�on rules in advance and hold them accountable.
Encourage government agencies to enforce great ape tourism basic best prac�ces.
Encourage clients to promote conserva�on at great ape sites by suppor�ng local community
ini�a�ves.
8
 ANNEX III – LIST OF COUNTRIES AND TOURISM SITES

Country Map Park

Western Lowland Gorillas

Code

Western Chimpanzees
Eastern Chimpanzees
Central Chimpanzee
Mountain Gorillas
Grauer's Gorillas

Bonobo
1 Lobéké National Park     1        
Cameroun
2 Campo Ma'an     1        

Central African
3 Dzanga Sangha     1        
Republic

4 Lossi interzone     1        
Republic of
Congo
5 Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park     1        

6 Virunga National Park 1     1      

7 Kahuzi-Biega National Park   1          

DR Congo
8 Lomako-Yokokala Faunal Reserve             1

9 Lac Tumba, Malebo             1

10 Parc National du Loango     1   1    

Moukalaba-Doudou National
11     1        
Park
Gabon
12 Lopé National Park     1        

13 Ivindo National Park, Langoué,     1        

Guinea Bissau 14 Cantanhez National Park 1

10
Country Map Park

Western Lowland Gorillas

Code

Western Chimpanzees
Eastern Chimpanzees
Central Chimpanzee
Mountain Gorillas
Grauer's Gorillas

Bonobo
15 Boé National Park 1

Ivory Coast 16 Taï National Park           1  

Liberia 17 Sapo National Park 1

18 Volcanoes National Park 1            

Rwanda 19 Nyungwe Forest National Park       1      

20 Gishwati-Mukura National Park       1      

Reserve Naturelle
Senegal 21           1  
Communautaire de Dindefelo

Sierra Leone 22 Outamba National Park 1

23 Gola National Park 1

24 Western Peninsula National Park 1

25 Loma Mountains National Park 1

26 Gombe Stream National Park         1    

Tanzania
27 Mahale Mountains National Park         1    

11
Country Map Park

Western Lowland Gorillas

Code

Western Chimpanzees
Eastern Chimpanzees
Central Chimpanzee
Mountain Gorillas
Grauer's Gorillas

Bonobo
Bwindi Impenetrable National
28 1            
Park

29 Mgahinga Gorilla National Park 1            

30 Kibale Forest National Park       1      

Uganda
31 Budongo Forest Reserve       1      

Kyambura Gorge, Queen

32       1      
Elizabeth National Park

33 Kalinzu Forest Reserve       1      

12
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