The Virunga Volcanoes straddle the international border separating Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Known for the population of Mountain Gorillas that has been studied at the Karisoke Research Centre and for Dian Fossey (‘Gorillas in the Mist’), most of the research in this massif has focussed on this species. However, the Virunga Volcanoes are important for many other species, particularly some of the endemic and threatened Albertine Rift Species. Much of the management of this massif is driven by the need to conserve the gorillas whilst little is known about the needs of the other species.
Consequently WCS teamed up with the Karisoke Research Centre (managed by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International), and parks institutions in DRC, Rwanda and Uganda to undertake a survey of birds and plants across the whole massif. In a separate survey of the mountain gorilla population WCS worked with KRC, Institute for Tropical Forest Conservation and International Gorilla Conservation Programme to collect information about large mammals and their distributions across the volcanoes. The information for these three taxa were then analysed, looking at where the highest numbers of species occurs in the massif, and where the endemic and threatened species are found.
Interestingly the distribution patterns vary greatly. Many of the endemic species occur in the east of the massif while many threatened species are found in the west. Many of the endemic and threatened species were found in areas where gorilla numbers were low. If the management goals of the protected area authorities is to conserve biodiversity these results show the need to ensure protection is provided throughout the Virunga Volcanoes rather than concentrating in areas where the gorillas are present as tends to happen at present.
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