A mountain Gorilla cuddles its baby in their natural habitat in Rwanda’s Volcano Mountain
Rwanda has announced a new expansion phase of the mountain gorilla habitat, a few days after land donation from Africa Wildlife Foundation.
In a press conference held on Monday, Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi, the Governor of Northern Province announced the government plan to expand the park by 3,000 hectares.
This will bring the total space of the endangered, rare mountain gorillas’ home to 19,027 hectares by the end of this year.
The latest expansion happened last week when Africa Wildlife Foundation donated 27 hectares to the park.
“Residents neighboring the park will be expropriated and accommodated in storied buildings, a move that aims to save land,” Gatabazi said during a press conference on Monday.
Gatabazi said, that this relocation will be financed by the government of Rwanda at a tune of $180 million.
Citizen near the park were advised to desist from putting long-term investment on their land, because expropriation may take effect before they have gotten return on investment.
“They are advised not to put activities that can last for one year on their land,” Gatabazi said adding that Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is working on required designs, including the housing project.
RDB officials could not be accessed for a comment, but a staff connected to tourism department who cannot be quoted because he does not speak for the institution told KT Press that the project is at its initial phase.
