Uganda’s Mountain Gorillas
Uganda’s Mountain Gorillas: Research indicates that the mountain gorilla is the only gorilla species present in Uganda and is considered to be the most endangered subspecies. Half of the world’s surviving gorilla population lives in Uganda, where they can be found in the magical Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Virunga conservation area on the slopes of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. A total of over 459 mountain gorillas in 36 social groups and 16 solitary mountain gorillas were estimated during the 2018 Bwindi gorilla census. A total of 1063 mountain gorillas were found worldwide in 2018 after the Virunga and Bwindi-Sarambwe censuses were combined.
Location of Uganda’s Mountain Gorillas
Mountain gorillas are found in East-Central Africa, specifically in two different groups. One group is found in the outskirts of the montane forests of the remote rift valley in southwest Uganda (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park), close to the Sarambwe Nature Reserve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and another group is found in the Virunga Conservation Area, which includes Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC. These mountain gorillas live in protected regions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Virunga National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, and Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park.
Size
Apes, especially mountain gorillas, are the heaviest primates because they are the most active. A fully grown male mountain gorilla can stand 4–6 feet tall and weigh between 136 and 230 kg. They are therefore more powerful than people.
How are gorillas related to humans?
Humans and mountain gorillas share 98% of their DNA, making them genetically similar. It is vulnerable to even common human illnesses like the flu and colds because it does not have the requisite immunity to many of them. The gorilla’s health can be adversely affected by minor interactions, such as the flu. As a result, stringent regulations are implemented, such as the recommendation to wear a mask when interacting with these gentle giants, visitor control, and a 10-meter viewing distance, since mountain gorillas have a slim chance of surviving extinction. Their 35-year lifespan in their natural habitat is increased as a result.
Diet/Feeding of Mountain gorillas
Considering Uganda’s mountain gorillas, particularly in the deep montane forests of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, these gentle giants are vegetarians, meaning they only ever eat leaves, tree bark, fruit pulp, and wild celery. Troops obtain a large portion of their vegetarian meal while travelling through these dense forests. In a day, a mature silverback can weigh about 34 kg, and a female can weigh about 18 kg. Furthermore, these mountain gorillas frequently use their four legs to support their large, thick, and massive bodies. This implies that they spend a large portion of their time sitting, interacting with others, caring for babies, having sex, and farting to facilitate digestion.
Nesting
Mountain gorillas build makeshift nests on the ground or in trees so that they can congregate and share a single night’s sleep using the vegetation (leaves and twigs). For warmth and security, infants always share nests with their mothers. They can adapt to the humid temperatures in these dense, misty highland woods thanks to the fur covering their bodies.
Social Structure
Following Uganda’s mountain gorillas, the silverback, or dominant male, is the alpha male who leads the troop or family, provides protection from threats, mediates conflicts, patrols, makes decisions, secures nesting spots, and guides the group to food sources, among other duties. These individuals always live in family groups known as troops of ten to thirty members or more. Like any mother, gorillas are renowned for their agility, strong social ties, and love for their species. Both sexes are in charge of playing, cuddling, and carrying the young, among other activities, to nurture and care for them.
To prevent interbreeding, most males and females leave their birth family to join another tribe when they reach adulthood. The physical strength of the silverback is likely to intimidate mature males who confront this alpha male. But despite the silverback’s violent outbursts to assert their dominance and physical might, mountain gorillas are generally peaceful animals unless they feel threatened.
Gestation Period and Life Expectancy
With a life expectancy of 35 years, female mountain gorillas always give birth at 10 years old, with a 4-year gap between births. The gestation duration is 8.5 months, and gorillas are classified as newborns until they are 3.5 years old and as adults at 8 years old. Male gorillas between the ages of 8 to 12 years are known as “black backs,” and after 12 years, they begin to acquire a silver hairy patch line on their hips and backs, earning them the nickname “silverback”. One infant is born to a mother gorilla at four months of age, and throughout the 2 to 3 years of life, the child can ride on the mother’s back.
Communication
Primatologists claim that gorillas are very clever and capable of learning and utilizing the basic sign language used by humans. Adaptive gorillas in captivity, particularly the eastern lowland gorillas, frequently exhibit this behavior. However, mountain gorillas have a difficult time surviving in captivity. When gently startled or curious, these gentle giants will always make a low barking sound. To demonstrate strength and intimidate its opponents, the alpha male often stands on two legs, beats its chest, and roars.
Conservation—Uganda’s Mountain Gorillas
In terms of conservation status, the majority of gorilla species and subspecies were listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List (IUCN) as endangered or critically endangered. After the gorilla population increased in 2008, this union, which is in charge of determining a species’ conservation status, modified the status from “critically endangered” to “endangered”.
We express our gratitude to all parties involved in the ecological preservation of these mountain gorillas in their natural habitats of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park, including the government, conservationists, tour operators, researchers, and nonprofit organizations. To combat poaching and community encroachment for settlement and resources, this has been demonstrated by ongoing reporting, ranger patrols, and gorilla habitat monitoring. To keep these mountain gorillas from returning to their severely endangered status, additional restoration work should be done with greater care and attention.
Cost of gorilla trekking permits
Following Uganda’s mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga National Park, a gorilla trekking permit, which is a legal document, pass, or clearance that grants all tourists access to mountain gorillas, is necessary for a successful gorilla tracking activity. The fee is $800 for non-residents, $700 for international residents, $500 for the rest of Africa, and UGX 300,000 for East African citizens. However, gorilla habituation costs UGX 750,000 for East African citizens, $1500 for non-foreign residents, and $1000 for foreign residents.
