Rwanda’s Kwita Izina ceremony will give 22 baby gorillas their names on 18 October, as the population of the once critically endangered apes continues to grow – alongside tourism-marketing efforts.

The annual ceremony celebrates new births in a blaze of publicity that is a major drawcard for Rwanda, one of three countries in Africa, including Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to host gorillas.

Since the ceremony was launched 20 years ago, Kwita Izina has seen 395 baby gorillas named, said chief tourism officer at the Rwanda Development Board Michaella Rugwizangoga.

“We will be naming 22 baby gorillas, and we are excited to welcome past and new namers from around the world whose names will be revealed in the coming days,” she added.

Last year British actor Idris Elba and US comedian Kevin Hart were some of the celebrities to name 23 gorillas.

Last year Rwanda recorded R11.7 billion in revenue from 1.4 million visitors.

According to government figures, gorilla tourism contributed 1% to Rwanda’s GDP last year.

Maurice Mugabowagahunde, the governor of the Northern Province, home to the gorilla population, said the conservation drive has brought many benefits to the area.

“Kwita Izina has brought global recognition to Rwanda’s conservation efforts. In the Northern Province, tourism has fuelled growth, benefiting communities and businesses, particularly in Musanze, Nyabihu, and Rubavu.” This development includes the rise of luxury hotels and improved road infrastructure, driven by tourism revenues," he said.

According to the last gorilla census that covered the three countries in 2016, their population had grown to just over 1 000.

It’s a considerable jump from the first count in 1970 when only 274 gorillas were in existence, and the lowest point in 1980, when the population numbered just 254.

In Rwanda alone there are slightly over 600 gorillas, up by a quarter since 2016.

These apes are only found in high-altitude mountainous forests with elevations of 2 500 to 4 000 metres.

Their protected homes in the three countries are in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (both in Uganda), Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and the DRC’s Virunga National Park and Sarambwe Nature Reserve.

According to a recently released report, titled “Over 30 Years of Impact in Mountain Gorilla Conservation”, mountain gorillas are killed or seriously injured by snares intended to trap antelopes, bush pigs, and other wildlife.

Armed conflicts in some areas of the region have made law enforcement, monitoring and tourism development very challenging.