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published Sept. 5, 2022, 3:48 p.m. by mariamagboola
Thousands of Rwandans had gathered to witness the naming of 20 baby mountain gorillas at the foothills of the Volcanoes National Park.
According to reports, the colourful ceremony which took place at Musanze district in the north of the country was also witnessed by Prince Charles of England who joined the event virtually.
He named one of the male baby gorilla Ubwuzuzanye; meaning ‘harmony.
International celebrities including conservationists and broadcasters, sports people, actors and musicians were also present to celebrate the special day dedicated to the rare mountain primates.
A new gorilla family was also named at this 18th edition of the gorilla naming ceremony.
The naming is symbolic as the gorillas were not physically present at the event.
Babies from several gorilla families were given names either with a Rwandan cultural significance or with references to the importance of conservation.
In a brief message played at the event, the Prince of Wales said that the restoration of harmony and balance between nature, people and the planet is the most critical issue facing humanity.
More than 250 baby gorillas have been named since 2005 in several editions of Kwita Izina – which means "to give a name" in Kinyarwanda.
Gorilla conservation in East Africa’s great lakes region suffered from poaching and habitat encroachment for decades.
But over the last 20 years, the great apes have recovered from the brink of extinction.
Just over 1,000 mountain gorillas are found in the region, the only place in the world that is their natural habitat.