Mountain gorillas are visited by tourists in Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC. Well-managed gorilla tourism contributes to conservation but raises genuine individual welfare concerns.
Gorilla ecotourism presents a genuine welfare dilemma. Tourism revenue funds conservation that has measurably grown the mountain gorilla population, benefiting gorilla welfare at the population level. However, individual habituated gorillas face disease transmission risk, behavioural alteration, and stress from human proximity. Strict protocols limiting group size, maintaining approach distances, and requiring health screening for visitors minimise individual welfare costs while preserving conservation benefits.