Where to Explore Mountain Gorillas
Where to Explore Mountain Gorillas: Among the magnificent and endangered creatures of the world are mountain gorillas. They live in the vivid and lush forests of the Virunga National Park and Bwindi protected areas. These extraordinary mountain gorillas are recognised as one of the greatest creatures on Earth and draw travellers from all around the globe. As their name suggests, they are a subspecies of eastern gorillas and inhabit high alpine regions at 8,000–13,000 feet. Only three countries—Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—are home to these gentle giants that are part of the famous Virunga conservation area.
What to know about mountain gorillas
These endangered gorillas often reside in family units headed by a single dominant silverback male, and due to their large-scale grazing of plants and mostly plant-based diet, they have significant ecological significance. In the absence of mountain gorillas, an imbalance in the food chain can have a detrimental effect on the local ecology.
A male mountain gorilla’s height ranges from 161 to 171 centimetres. Female mountain gorillas can weigh between 70 and 98 kilogrammes, whereas male mountain gorillas typically weigh between 120 and 191 kilogrammes. Because a saddle of grey or silver-colored hair grows on their backs as they mature, adult males are known as silverbacks. Their hair, however, gets shorter as they age compared to most other body parts.
As you explore mountain gorillas, several threats to the gorilla population have contributed to their decline in number, including diseases, habitat degradation, poaching, and coal production, despite the fact that the government and several non government organisations have taken steps to restore the gorilla conservation zones and conduct routine monitoring.
Where to see mountain Gorillas
As you explore mountain gorillas, they reside in two separate communities. Two are located in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which connects to Sarambwe Nature Reserve, and the Virunga Volcanoes, which cross three national parks in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). High-altitude montane and bamboo forests with charming villages all around are home to mountain gorillas. The leaves, shoots, and stems of 142 different plant species are consumed by mountain gorillas, which are classified as herbivores. In addition, they consume small invertebrates and the bark, roots, flowers, and fruits.
Roughly 98% of the human DNA is shared by mountain gorillas. They are regarded as the strongest primates still alive in the wild. They may eat all day long, with leaves, branches, and stems making up 85% of their diet. They can also consume ants, snails, larvae, bark, and decaying wood. Mountain gorillas enjoy spending time together and sleeping in their nightly nests, which they construct on the ground or atop tree branches. They can make sixteen various sounds, such as short barks in mild panic, chest pounding, and vocalisations like hooting or roaring.
Family groupings of mountain gorillas consist of one dominant male and several females, usually numbering thirty or more. Nonetheless, the group’s male and female members play, cuddle, and carry their young. They have a life expectancy of more than forty years. Males who reach the age of eight to twelve are referred to as blackbacks. They can start growing silver hair over their hips and back at the age of 12, which gives them the nickname “silverback.” Human encroachment and poaching are potential threats to them.
Explore mountain Gorillas in Uganda-Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks
In Uganda, the two locations where mountain gorillas can be found are Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla Forest National Park. It takes approximately 8 to 9 hours to travel from Kampala to each of these locations. Due to these two, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to a sizable number of mountain gorillas that are still alive today. Out of the approximately 1065 mountain gorillas remaining, the park is home to about 650 of them.
It should be noted that if you want to trek with gorillas, you must get permission in order to enter their native habitat. With the assistance of the tour guide, a gorilla permit in Uganda can be purchased directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). East African citizens purchase UGX300,000 for gorilla trekking permits in Uganda, while non-foreigners pay USD800 per person per day and foreign residents pay USD700. A full-day adventure available only in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the gorilla habitat experience. Trekking for gorilla habituation costs USD 1,500 per person.
Explore mountain Gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo
As you explore mountain gorillas, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to these endangered gorillas, and it shares borders with Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. While internal wars have plagued the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for many years, supportive organisations have emerged to collaborate with the country to facilitate the study and preservation of mountain gorilla habitat.
In addition to mountain gorillas, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to “Eastern and Western” lowland gorillas, which are also found in Cameroon and other west and central African nations. On the other hand, there are currently less than 8,000 lowland gorillas in the eastern region, compared to an estimated 250,000 in the western region. Keep in mind that because mountain gorillas cannot survive in captivity like lowland gorillas, they receive excessive care. There are around 1065 mountain gorillas left in the world today. 2018 saw the IUCN Red List classify mountain gorillas as endangered.
Explore mountain Gorillas in Rwanda
Primate enthusiasts can locate mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s “Parc National des Volcans,” or Volcanoes National Park. Situated in the northwest of the nation, Volcanoes National Park shares borders with Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The existence of mountain gorillas at Volcanoes National Park is largely due to Dian Fossey’s amazing efforts in initiating gorilla study, which has aided in the preservation of the local primate population. To observe gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, one must obtain a gorilla permit from the Rwanda Development Board (“RDB”). This organisation is a government agency. Each trekker needs to pay USD $1500 for a Rwandan gorilla trekking permit.