Gorilla conservationists and re­search­ers working on the ground at different sites often face the challenge of accessing valuable yet unpublished information about ongoing projects outside their immediate locality, and sharing experiences on their respective projects. Poor information sharing among field workers means that those planning or carrying out projects at one site may not be able to learn from the experiences of others who might have implemented similar projects at other sites. Another consequence of poor information sharing is that opportunities for collaboration between sites or be­tween researchers might be missed. Improving information sharing among field workers is therefore essential. One way of enhancing information sharing is by organizing meetings that afford field workers the opportunity to meet and interact regularly. Recently, an effort was made to meet this need.

From 28th to 30th June 2011 about 40 gorilla researchers and conservationists from nearly all gorilla range states (Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda) convened in Ruhija, a village on the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda to share their knowledge and experience on a wide range of issues concerning gorilla research and conservation during a workshop entitled “Gorillas Across Africa: Information Sharing for Conservation & Research”. Participants came from diverse backgrounds – NGOs, government and academia. The workshop was organised and funded by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVAN) and North Carolina Zoological Park (NC Zoo) and hosted by the Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation (ITFC). The workshop provided a unique opportunity, especially for early-career gorilla researchers and conservationists, to share information on their work and build professional relationships. A wide range of gorilla conservation issues were discussed, including the diverse threats faced by gorillas (poaching, habitat degradation and fragmentation, disease etc.), gorilla research and monitoring (including use of camera traps and the cybertracker system for non-invasive monitoring), gorilla-human disease transmission, gorilla habituation and tourism, human-wildlife conflict management, gorilla ecology and behaviour, conservation education, community conservation and more.

For many participants, some of the information presented at this workshop about ongoing projects was new and helped improve their perspective on gorilla conservation efforts across Africa, and the conservation status of different gorilla populations. Most importantly, lessons were learned from the challenges faced in the implementation of different projects and the measures adopted to overcome them where possible. Many participants felt confident that the knowledge gained and lessons learned will help them improve their work at different sites.

It was recognised that site-specific differences do exist due to cultural, economic and socio-political factors between range countries and even regions within countries where gorillas occur. However, the threats facing gorillas (such as poaching, habitat loss and fragmentation, and disease) and the conservation approaches adopted to mitigate them are largely similar across all sites, though it is clear that there is not one blanket solution to address these threats at all sites. Therefore, while lessons could be learned from successful conservation approaches at certain sites, it is important to be cautious when attempting to replicate such approaches at other sites since the prevailing social, cultural, economic and political circumstances may be different and are likely to influence the outcome of projects and their long-term consequences on gorilla conservation.

Some general points were agreed by participants as being important for improving gorilla conservation at all sites:

• There is urgent need for better protection to reduce habitat loss and direct threats to gorillas from poaching.
• Support for conservation efforts must come from all stakeholders – community, national and interna­tional.
• Transboundary collaboration should be promoted for effective landscape-based gorilla conservation.
• Improved monitoring and prevention of human–wildlife disease transmission is important to safeguard the health of gorilla populations.
• Better understanding and management of human–wildlife conflict is needed to reduce its negative impact on both humans and gorillas.
• While gorilla tourism provides an incentive for communities to support conservation, it is important to measure and monitor the impact of habituation and tourism on gorilla health and behaviour.
• An expectation has developed in the conservation world that local people must derive economic benefits from conservation. However, there are situations where this may not yet be possible, especially in the short term. This fact needs to be incorporated more strongly in conservation education messages for gorilla conservation.
• Research and monitoring: it is important to assess the long-term impacts of protection and development strategies on gorilla populations; more accurate estimates of gorilla numbers are needed at all sites.
• Community-based conservation has great potential for sustainable gorilla conservation because of the strong sense of local ownership often associated with community conservation initiatives.
• Sustainable funding is important to ensure continuity of conservation efforts.