By JONATHAN KAMOGA

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For as little as $2, visitors will get an all-access virtual pass to Uganda’s Bwindi/Mgahinga Conservation areas, home to more than 50 percent of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.

They can then follow the gorilla’s daily excursions and family migrations through virtual trekking, celebrate their birthdays and new births, and receive updates from the rangers who know and protect the animals. One can follow as many gorilla families as they wish, with subscriptions going towards protecting the gorillas and the surrounding communities.

The initiative is by My Gorilla Family, that was launched recently by RoundBob and The Naturalist, two Ugandan conservation enterprises working with Uganda Wildlife Authority, using technology to create sustainable sources of non-trekking revenues to fund conservation. The initiative aims to protect Uganda’s mountain gorilla population.

Fidelis Kanyamunyu a reformed poacher, honorary wildlife officer with Uganda Wildlife Authority, and co-founder of Home of the Gorillas, came up with the idea.

“As a child, I went hunting in the forest and grew into a poacher when the conservation areas were carved out,” Kanyamunyu said. “I am now known as an advocate for conservation and continue to champion community awareness.”

David Gonahasa, the co-founder of Home of the Gorillas said that in addition to the subscription-based application My Gorilla Family, the initiative will launch the first conservation limited NFT collection linked to the 200 habituated individual mountain gorillas in the wild.

The mountain gorilla found only in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo remains an endangered species.

The global population of gorillas stands at 1,063, with Uganda being home to over 50 per cent in its Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks.