KIGALI, Rwanda 

Rwanda's annual baby gorilla naming ceremony, known locally as Kwita Izina, celebrated its 20th anniversary on Friday.

This year, 40 mountain baby gorillas were given names by global leaders, artists, football legends, conservation champions, and Rwandan rangers and veterinary experts at a ceremony in the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Musanze, northern Rwanda.

Izere, which translates as Hope, born on Nov. 16, 2024, is one of the male infants who got a name this year.

His mother, Agaseke, gets a lot of attention from other group members, especially from male silverbacks Pato and Urwibutso, according to trackers and rangers.

Her infant’s name carries hope for a successful life, representing optimism for the future of the group and species, rangers say.

Agaseke has lost previous infants, so the name also reflects good wishes for this one to survive and thrive.

Others were named Rugwiro meaning Hospitable, Ntarungu or Enthusiastic, Ganza (Conquer), and Rubuga (Platform).  

What’s in a name?

The practice of naming newborn mountain gorillas was introduced in Rwanda in 2005.

"Each name is chosen based on the baby's personal story, the circumstances during birth, and the world's wishes for it,” Yves Gatera, a conservation researcher, told Anadolu.

Gorilla naming was derived from the Rwandan culture of celebrating the act of giving a name to a newborn, rooted in Rwanda's cultural and conservation values, and symbolizes hope and continuity, according to Gatera.

“Giving a name to each gorilla is in recognition of the species’ value, the communities, as well as rangers, trackers, and researchers who work in the forest daily protecting them,” he added.

Rwanda’s prime minister, Justin Nsengiyumva, says that beyond naming baby gorillas, the ceremony celebrates conservation, communities, and the extraordinary power of nature to unite people from all corners of the world.

“In Rwandan culture, naming a child is not just a formality but an act of love, an act of commitment, and hope, done in the presence of family and friends who pledge to support that child's future. Today, we carry forward this tradition with the same spirit, giving baby gorillas their names,” he said at the event.

Since 2005, at least 438 mountain baby gorillas have been named.

Gatera recalled the dedication of a team of Rwandans and the community who embraced the first naming ceremony two decades ago.

In 2005, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and first lady Jeannette gave names to the first-ever surviving twin gorillas from the Susa group, named Byishimo (Happiness) and Impano (Gift).  

Gorilla population rising

The population of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massif, which straddles the countries Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, has risen from 880 in 2012 to over 1,000 today, according to the Rwanda Development Board, the government agency that runs gorilla naming.

This year’s Kwita Izina was held with the theme “A legacy of community-centered conservation, securing a sustainable future for all,” highlighting the vital role of communities, rangers, and researchers in protecting Rwanda’s biodiversity.

Through the government's tourism revenue sharing program, which allocates 10% of tourism revenues back to local communities, conservation directly benefits local communities through improved schools, roads, and access to clean water.

Over 1,200 projects have been supported, including schools, health centers, markets, homes, and agricultural hubs across the country, according to the board’s CEO, Jean-Guy Afrika.

“None of this would be possible without the dedication of our rangers, trackers, guides, veterinarians, researchers, porters, communities, and our international partners,” he said.

The story of the mountain gorillas has not always been one of celebration, as their population had fallen drastically years ago, and their survival seemed uncertain due to aggressive poaching, disease, and habitat loss resulting from human encroachment.

In the 1980s, the mountain gorilla population had dwindled to just 250.

The plight of these primates was brought to the world's attention by Dian Fossey, an American zoologist who worked with the animals from the 1960s onward.

She was murdered in December 1985, ostensibly by poachers, at her forest camp in Rwanda.

In her book Gorillas in the Mist, published in 1983, Fossey told a story of meeting the big, gentle primates, describing their behavior, saying that this remained the most captivating impression of her first encounter “with the greatest of the great apes.”

Her legacy lives on through The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, dedicated to gorilla conservation and helping people who live near those habitats in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This year, three Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund staff were among those chosen to provide names.

Alliance Umwizerwa, a research assistant at Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, named the infant born to mother Igihembo in Hirwa’s group. The name she chose is Mushumba Mwiza, meaning Good Shepherd, honoring the staff, including researchers, rangers and veterinarians who protect gorillas every day in the field.

Nsengiyumva said his government has committed to expanding Volcanoes National Park by 25% to ensure the next generation of gorillas has a secure home.

The government believes the expansion will also improve the lives of surrounding communities, demonstrating once again that conservation and development can go hand in hand.

“We call on the world to join us in this ambitious project as we share this responsibility,” the premier said.

Afrika, the Rwanda Development Board CEO, said last year that the tourism sector generated $647 million for the country, with gorilla tourism alone contributing over $200 million.