Despite the tremendous national, regional and international ecosystem and biodiversity value of GVL, there are still serious issues of concern that undermine sustainable conservation of the landscape ecosystem and its wildlife resources (GVL Conservation Status Report, 2017). Threats to the Integrity of GVL Protected Areas continue to increase manifested in a number of ways. The increasing wildlife crime (Illegal Wildlife trade, Poaching) – illegal wildlife trade in live animals such as chimpanzees, birds, pangolins etc and animal products (such as; bush meat, ivory, fur, scales etc); plants (timber, rare plants etc) fuels poaching. The unregulated/ illegal fishing due to limited livelihood opportunities and limited surveillance systems remains a threat to fish stocks in GVL water bodies. The policy and legislative framework in DRC, Rwanda and Uganda in addressing illegal trade in forestry products and other wildlife trade and illegal fishing are to a great extent sufficiently provided for in the various laws. The main challenge lies in the transboundary collaboration in the enforcement of these policies and laws. The GVL government are not well coordinated in fighting wildlife crime and in some cases the laws of the different departments may contradict one another. The International endangered species trade convention (CITES), has put in place regulations that prohibit trade in elephant parts or products and established preventive mechanisms. Nonetheless, killing of elephants in GVL for their tusks continues because of the high prices offered on the international market. For example, New Vision (2015) indicated that the price for 1 kilogram of Ivory is $ 97,000, an equivalent of Uganda Shillings 270 million. Prices such as this are a powerful incentive for international dealers to engage locals who are willing to undergo the risk for just a portion of the price, while keeping the international dealers out of arrest and prosecution circles. Such high prices also provide more than enough funds to bribe the PA staff to permit wildlife crime to continue under their watchful ‘closed’ eyes. This international high profit chain encourages wildlife crime in GVL and requires coordinated efforts to fight it across the porous borders and beyond. This situation has been worsened by climate change, the associated adverse effects and limited mitigation measures. For example, it has continued to fuel park encroachment and poaching as communities search for water, pastures, bush meat, fish etc. The threat of wildlife fires is also eminent due to climate change effects leading to possible fire deliberate incidents as well as accidents. Due to population pressure, there is evident fragmentation of the landscape conservation area affecting animal movement corridors which originally linked the PAs in GVL. This affects wildlife genetic exchanges.  The search for economic development opportunities and mineral richness of GVL is another issue that deserves urgent attention. There is notable expansion of oil and other extractive industries competing for GVL conservation space.

Rapid colonization of the landscape by the invasive species threatens species diversity, animal populations and tourism experiences. The GVL ecosystem is rapidly being colonized by invasive species such as Lantana camara and this has led to increased loss of the grasslands and emergence of unpalatable vegetation species affecting the movement, feeding, and mating patterns of wildlife in GVL. This also negatively affects tourism as animal visibility on game drives gets constrained. In addition, wildlife diseases remain a pertinent risk in GVL due to climate change effects, exposure through migrations and increasing tourism activity. The elaborated threats to the integrity of GVL PAs are catalyzed by lack of regular and coordinated monitoring system on GVL occurrences; inadequate information and information sharing on the conservation status of the landscape; and armed conflicts especially on the DRC side of GVL.

The achievement of the long term/ sustainable conservation of GVL will only be possible if the above issues are addressed.