Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi forest national park
Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi forest national park, Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is one of the national parks found in Uganda. The national park is known as a gorilla destination because it does harbor mountain gorillas. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is found in the south western part of Uganda in Kisoro and kanungu districts. The national park is found not so far from other gorilla parks mgahinga national park of Uganda. Volcanoes national park of Rwanda and Virunga national park of DR Congo.
Bwindi impenetrable forest has been in existence for so many years not until the government discovered the importance of mountain gorillas from dian fossey. When mountain gorillas were discovered to be having more than 98% DNA of human beings. They decided to gazette the areas and protect the few remaining ones from extinction.
About Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
In 1991 government of Uganda gazette Bwindi impenetrable forest as a national park. The Batwa pygmies currently living on the boundaries of Bwindi and Mgahinga national park were evicted out. This was done to reduce on the poaching. And also give animals their freedom of moving freely in their natural habitat.
Immediately when the park was gazetted a team of rangers, doctors, and researchers did habituate a mountain gorilla family. Mubare gorilla family went through the habituation process. It took 2 years to make all the members get used to human presence around them. Tourists were allowed to visit Mubare mountain gorilla family while others were going through habituation at a time.
Uganda wildlife authority team kept on habituating other mountain gorilla families from the time gazetting the park. As we speak today, Bwindi impenetrable forest national ark does not only have more mountain gorillas. But also the highest number of mountain gorilla families in the whole world.
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park does receive the highest number of tourists interested in gorilla trekking activities every day. To allow tourists have more time around mountain gorillas while in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Two mountain gorilla families were out aside for gorilla habituation. Tourists be around these families for 4 hours and even get a chance to be part of the activities. That make them get used to human presence around them.
Mountain gorilla trekking and habituation
Mountain gorilla trekking and habituation are the most done activities in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. The activities involve tourists being taught what to do and what not to do for the safety of animals and the tourists themselves. Armed ranger guides do lead these tourists in the jungle and they start looking for where the mountain gorillas could be.
To go gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park you need to be fit enough because it takes 2 to 7 hours of going through difficult terrain and thick vegetated areas. The good thing is tat the chances of seeing mountain gorillas are over 95%. You are assured of meeting the mountain gorilla family.
When the mountain gorilla family you have been looking for is located, a ranger guide does give 1 hour or 4 hours of a semi habitiuated gorilla family. Your dream would have come true and you will be allowed to take photos, record videos and get sa chance of seeing their behaviors. After spending time with the mountain gorillas, you will trek out of the jungle and go pick your gorilla trekking or habituation certificates from the sector headquarters.
Other animals in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Apart from mountain goirillas, Bwindi impenetrable forest national park harbors mammals, primates, and birds. The mammals and other primates are seeing during different park activities that are carried out inside the forest. Tourists will see them moving around the forest looing for what to eat or resting.
The birds of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park are seen during nature walks activities where rangers use the birding trails. Some of the birds you are likely to see in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park on your visit include rwenzori batis, tit hylia, strange weaver, dusky twin spot, handsome francolin, collared apalis, shyelly’s greenbul, kivu ground thrush, African wood owl, regal sunbird, montane oriole, black bee eater, and grey guckoo shrike to mention but a few.