Back from the brink: Uganda’s gentle giants
From People Fixing the World by BBC World Service
April 14, 2026 · 23 min
About this episode
The episode explores eco-tourism efforts in Uganda that are helping to protect mountain gorillas and engage local communities.
The eco-tourism that is helping to protect mountain gorillas in Uganda. Myra Anubi is in Uganda visiting the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It’s one of the few places that gorillas still exist in the wild, and even better, in recent years their numbers have actually been rising and they are no longer considered critically endangered. This is partly down to the hard work of Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka and the Conservation Through Public Health organisation. They engage with communities living close to the gorillas, who were often poaching them and destroying their habitat, to help them better understand the animals and tap into the potential for eco-tourism. They also encourage other forms of enterprise, supporting local coffee farmers with training and investment. Myra meets former poachers now involved in conservation and speaks with local farmers - often women - who look after the coffee plantations. She talks to the village conservation teams involved in protecting the gorillas. And of course, goes into the forest to get a glimpse of these incredible creatures herself. People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new…
People in this episode
Host: Myra Anubi
Topics covered
- eco-tourism
- conservation
- mountain gorillas
- community engagement
- sustainable development
Keywords
- mountain gorillas
- eco-tourism
- Uganda
- conservation
- community engagement
- sustainable development
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Conservation Through Public Health
Places: Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
More episodes of People Fixing the World
- Ending violence against women · June 9, 2026 · 23 min
- Slow down! · June 2, 2026 · 23 min
- The dogs that bring hope · May 26, 2026 · 24 min
- How to thrive with ADHD · May 19, 2026 · 23 min
- Saving Chile's urban wetlands · May 12, 2026 · 23 min
- The SafeBox · May 2, 2026 · 23 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the People Fixing the World podcast page.