Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka became the first wildlife veterinarian in Uganda in 1996. While working at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, she identified a major threat to the local mountain gorilla population. A skin disease known as scabies spread from local residents to the gorillas, revealing a clear connection between human health and wildlife preservation. This realization changed her approach to conservation.
In 2003, she founded the nonprofit Conservation Through Public Health. The organization operates on the principle that protecting endangered gorillas requires supporting the health and economic stability of the communities living near their habitat. Since its founding, the group has engaged over 50,000 residents in hygiene, sanitation, and disease prevention training. These efforts reduce the risk of disease transmission between people and gorillas while improving the quality of life for the villagers.
Economic initiatives play a large role in the program. Her team launched Gorilla Conservation Coffee to ensure local farmers receive fair prices for their crops, which reduces the necessity for poaching. Today, the project supports over 600 farmers. This shift away from poaching toward sustainable agriculture and tourism has created a strong incentive for the community to act as protectors of the forest.
The impact of these programs is significant. The mountain gorilla population in Bwindi has grown from roughly 300 in the 1990s to over 450 today. This success contributed to the reclassification of mountain gorillas from critically endangered to endangered. The growth of gorilla tourism has also provided funds for infrastructure projects like schools and roads, linking the survival of the animals to the prosperity of the human population. Kalema-Zikusoka remains committed to this path, viewing the increase in gorilla births as a sign that conservation is succeeding through local partnership.