From http://www.xenvideo.com/2006/08/14/silverback-gorilla-close-encounter-in-rwanda/ ...

Morons. This kind of tourism is contributing to their imminent extinction. Simply being there is enough to do the damage.

Being there is one of the ONLY things keeping them alive. Money generated by tourism is a huge incentive to protect them, as well as a means for those interested in their protection to keep an eye on them. It the loss of habitat and the various militias and border wars and such that are destoying these animals, not to mention the high demand for their various body parts in some Asian markets, NOT people taking pictures. When these countries become well-enough off where they can set limits as to distance from and interaction with the animals, hopefully they will, and most of these tourist encounters will be through binoculars and telephoto lenses. Unfortunately, right now tourists have the cash and therefore the power, and they want to "interact".

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