Rwanda is an African country with a complicated economic position due to the fact that many people there suffer from poverty. However, this continent’s location is popular for its nature and unique mountain gorilla tourism (Rurangwa and Whittaker). Rwanda’s government is protecting the gorilla population in many parts of the country, but the shortage of food for people is increasing significantly. According to Rurangwa and Whittaker, Rwanda is one of the most populated countries in Africa, but it is not allowed in a specific locations to conduct agricultural activities. Consequently, governments should decide whether it is more important to protect endangered gorilla species or allow people to grow more food to save their lives and the lives of the surrounding people.
Benefits of Saving Gorillas
Rwanda is famous for its mountain gorilla destination, and governmental authorities need to protect species to maintain the country’s tourism level. Moreover, by saving these animals, people can support the ecosystem and decrease the negative impact of technological globalization. Biological chains where gorillas are included make balance in the environments, and disbalance may cause similar issues related to the problem of COVID-19 or Ebola. Gilardi et al. stated that the transmission of infection between humans and gorillas has significant potential, and more governments paid increased attention to finding effective treatments. Consequently, by preserving mountain gorillas, it can become possible to avoid additional problems followed after food shortages in such regions as Rwanda.
Benefits of Saving People
However, based on the Rwanda case study, more people can be saved if the government allows increasing the number of firms and supporting individuals’ agricultural activities. People make technological advances and make the lives of others easier. More human lives can be saved by enabling the citizens of Rwanda to grow food on the territories where mountain gorillas live. Moreover, these people might become able to develop new ways of preserving endangered species in more comfortable conditions and avoid deaths. With global warming, such animals as gorillas might not be able to survive in untouched nature, but people can adjust to the changes. By sacrificing animals, surviving people can make new species in laboratory conditions.
Ethical Side of the Problem
From the human point of view, it might be more ethical to prevent the lives of people who need more food to survive. Moreover, by analyzing the numbers provided in the case study, the world might lose 36,000 people in one country and only 250 mountain gorillas in the world. The calculations show that if the government saves one gorilla, 144 individuals may die from the shortage of food. It can be more ethical to save the majority group and avoid additional ethical questions. Furthermore, people need each other during the difficult global situation, and it should be wiser to save our group of living species.
Answer to the Question
In my opinion, the government of Rwanda should pay attention to the problem of food shortage which causes additional deaths in the country. Allowing people to use the land for agricultural purposes can decrease the number of issues in African locations, and the general level of living between populations can increase. The instinct of self-preservation can be the main driver to protect people. This aspect makes individuals more powerful and approves the fact that the strongest have more chances to survive in nature.
Works Cited
Gilardi, Kristen, Nziza, Julius and Ssebide, Bernard. “Endangered mountain gorillas and COVID-19: One health lessons for prevention and preparedness during a global pandemic.” American Journal of Primatology, vol. 84, no. 4-5, 2021. Web.
Rurangwa, Marie Laure and Whittaker, Robert J. “Making space for birds: Sourcing solutions from the mountain gorilla conservation model in Rwanda.” Journal for Nature Conservation, vol. 54, 2020. Web.