Every year millions of tourists throng Uganda to track and trek the closest primate to mankind, the mountain gorilla and to that effect Uganda is surely the country that you should visit if you want to see gorillas. The Ugandan wildlife has been preserved and protected by the government, which means that it is an excellent destination for safaris.
Additionally, Uganda has a stable political and geographical climate making it safe and irresistible for tourists to visit and a lasting impression. While In Uganda, one can arrange to track and trek Gorillas in Bwindi National Park, Mgahinga National park and cross to Volcanoes in Rwanda and Virunga in Congo.
Gorillas are unique and can only be found in in these three neighboring countries. One of the most talked-about primates is the mountain gorilla – a subspecies that lives at high altitudes. A new census by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) shows that there are more than 1000 mountain gorillas in their Volcanoes National park, which is located close to Bwindi Impenetrable forest – a place where visitors can track these primates!
Here are The top destinations for Gorilla Tracking
- Bwindi
- Mgahinga
The history of primates goes as far back as 20 million years ago, when hominoids were found all over Africa and Eurasia. The earliest known ancestor is believed to be Proconsul africanus – a species that lived 25-35 million years ago, which means it lived during the “missing link” period. Primate fossils have been found in Uganda as early as 23 million years ago – a testament to how old primates really are!
Primate conservation began with Dr. Driesch, a German biologist who established the first ever primate research station in Belgian Congo – now known as Democratic Republic of Congo. In fact, it was Dr. Driesch himself who discovered 22 species and subspecies of primates including Lowe’s guenon! The most popular discovery by Dr. Driesch is the bonobo, which is also known as the “Hippie chimp” because it was originally thought to be a subspecies of chimpanzee.
The first primate tourism destination in Uganda was Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park, where tracking gorillas has become very popular among visitors! Visitors can track these primates and see them in their natural environment. The best time to track gorillas is during the dry season, which usually happens from December to March/April – this way visitors can enjoy clear views of the forest and not be blocked by dense vegetation!
Gorillas live in the forests of Africa. They are the largest primates and roam around in groups called troops. A troop can have as many as 30 gorillas, but most often sits between four to six members with one silverback male leader who rules over them all by protecting his family for about 20 years or more. Gorillas spend their time feeding on foliage such as leaves and shoots that provides lots of fiber content which help keep their digestive tract moving well
The word gorilla comes from a Greek term meaning “mountain-dwelling.” This is because they mostly roamed through mountains before man came along and destroyed their habitat forcing them down into forested valleys like those found at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Gorillas are the largest primates and can only be easily found in Uganda, parts of Rwanda and Congo
Gorillas live for about 30 years on average but some silverbacks like those ruling over troops at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park have been known to survive up to 50 years with a few living as long as 60 years old. They do not reproduce until they reach maturity which is usually between 15-18 years old after growing into their adult size that comes around 13 feet tall and weighing close to 450 pounds