Walking with the Gorillas | Dr. GLADYS KALEMA-ZIKUSOKA

Conservation & Public Health - The speaker has been working with mountain gorillas for 30 years, highlighting long-term dedication to gorilla conservation [1] - Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) celebrated 20 years of conservation through public health two years ago [1] - The speaker realized that protecting gorillas requires improving the health of their human neighbors [2] - The "one health" approach to conservation is essential for biodiversity conservation and climate action [3] - Mountain gorillas share 984% genetic material with humans, emphasizing their close relationship [14] - Gorilla tourism supports conservation efforts [16] Community Engagement & Empowerment - Health education workshops were set up for local communities to address scabies transmission to gorillas [22] - Village health teams promote conservation education and community-based healthcare [30][31] - Family planning is promoted, with injections given to women at home, becoming a national policy [32] - Village saving and loan associations and livestock projects support communities [35] - Over 430 volunteers reach over 50,000 people in 10,000 homes around the national park [34] Sustainable Solutions & Economic Impact - A global coffee brand was developed to support coffee farmers and save gorillas, with a donation from every bag sold supporting community health and gorilla conservation efforts [36][38] - Gorilla tourism brought tourism back to Uganda and has helped to increase gorilla numbers [39] - Tourists are encouraged to support community members to reduce poaching [44] Threats & Challenges - During COVID-19, the risk of disease transmission to gorillas increased, necessitating mask-wearing [41][42] - A gorilla was lost during the pandemic due to poaching, highlighting the communities' over-dependence on tourism [42]