National Target 10: By 2020, the extinction of threatened species is prevented and their conservation status improved, p

​The potential threat of extinction of biodiversity species is real in Rwanda. Rwanda is one of the range states for the endangered Mountain Gorilla, with the highest population found in the Virunga massif (shared between Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo); the critically endangered Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) found in the Nyungwe Forest National Park and the once contiguous Cyamudongo natural forest reserve, the endangered lion (Panthera leo) among others (NBSAP, 2016). There are also several species of fish that are threatened with extinction. Local extinctions of certain species (buffaloes) have been documented in Nyungwe and Akagera National Parks. The threats that can cause the extinctions are still rife and need to be addressed if these populations are to be saved from extinction. This is what informed the development of this target in an effort to reverse the trend. Key threats include loss of habitat, habitat fragmentation leading to isolation of species, an