BOOM A NEW BABY GORILLA IS BORN IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK.
Once again UWA is celebrating a newborn baby after the 18th-year-old gorilla giving birthday in the southwestern part of Uganda Bwindi impenetrable national park.
Bashir Hangi Uganda Wildlife Authority Senior Communications Officer reveals to the world that an infant is born by the 18-year-old gorilla in Bwindi impenetrable national park in kanungu district.
“A gorilla baby was born to an 18-year-old adult female called Murema of the Kutu group in Rushaga, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.” Bashir Hangi said to journalists.
Just like human beings are so protective of their children, and so are the gorillas. However the baby gorilla was born on Friday 15th July 2022, the mother has been quite protective of her thus making the rangers discover the birth on Sunday afternoon which was great joy in Bwindi impenetrable national park.
Great thanks go to the UWA team for the work done in supervising the endangered creatures in Bwindi impenetrable national park. The game rangers captured the mobile photos of the new baby and mother who are enjoying their forest home and looking healthy.
“Murema whose name means ‘lame’, due to a natural handicap in one of her fingers, now has welcomed two successful births and her first baby called Dunia who was born 5 years ago is growing fast,” Hangi said.
Due to the new birth in Kutu gorilla family in Bwindi, there are now 21 members that are led by a silverback thus resulting in an increasing gorilla population census in the park.
About kanungu district
Kanungu district is a neighboring district of two national parks that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Queen Elizabeth national park. Recently, Uganda Wildlife Authority gave dummy cheques to the neighboring local communities where kanungu has been lucky to have two shares of the funds. The fund given was because the locals guard the primates and suffer the cost of conservation.
About Bwindi impenetrable national park
Bwindi Impenetrable national park is located in southwestern part of Uganda and is a home to mountain gorillas. The park inhabits 16 gorilla families and one more is spotted in mgahinga national park. Bwindi park has four sectors that inhabit gorillas and there Ruhija, Buhoma, Nkuringo and Rushaga sector. The park is well known for inhabiting half of the gorilla population and mgahinga national park. Gorillas are spotted in only Bwindi and mgahinga but also Virunga national park and volcano national park. The cost of Gorilla permits in Uganda costs $700 which is cheaper than Rwanda’s permits which costs $1500 per person. However, the Congo gorilla permit is cheaper than the gorilla permit in Uganda but with few visitors due to the insecurity of the country. So it is always advisable to visit secure countries like Uganda and Rwanda to have the best memorable safari.
Apart from gorilla trekking, there are other spiced activities to do while in the park and these are birding for bird lovers, nature walk to the local communities, hiking and boat cruise in Bunyonyi.
What to pack?
As a visitor, you are expected to pack the following during gorilla trekking.
- cameras.
- Water & snacks
- Raincoat
- Comfortable hiking boots
- Hiking sticks
- Long trousers, long t-shirts, and long stockings.
What are the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking?
- Cameras are accepted but with no flashes.
- Children above 15 years of age are allowed to trek
- Visitors are limited to 8 individuals per day to trek mountain gorillas in their thick forest.
- While they are with gorillas, visitors are briefed to keep their voices low so that gorillas are spotted in a calm environment.
- Visitors are given one hour’s visit while they are with gorillas.
- Visitors must sanitize their hands as well as wash hands before trekking
- The ill visitors are not allowed especially with flue, cough, Covid-19and many more which can put gorillas at risk since they are 98% humans.
- While they are with gorillas, visitors are briefed to keep a 7m distance from them.
How to access Bwindi?
The park is located in southwestern part of Uganda and can be accessed from about 750km from Kampala and approximately takes 9-10 hours from Kampala. The bwindi impenetrable national park that can be accessed either by road or by a chartered flight.
By road.
While on the road the visitors will use a 9-10 hours drive from Kampala to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Despite the long distance, visitors will surely experience the beauty of the pearl of Africa, where they will spot the Equator, farming, passing through different districts, lake Mburo national park, mountains and many others. While on the journey to the park, they will have lunch where they will experience Ugandan local foods like matooke, g.nuts, beans, meat, and cowpeas. So the long journey is surely worth it.
However, by road, visitors can use Kigali city in Rwanda where the drive takes 3-4 hours from Rwanda to Uganda since they are neighboring countries and share the conservation area that inhabits mountain gorillas that are rare to spot elsewhere except in Congo.
By Flight.
While by flight, the visitors will start the flight from kajjassi or Entebbe international airport heading to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Despite it being expensive, it is worth it because the beauty of Uganda is viewed that is Lake Bunyonyi with its islands, lake Mburo park, the thick forest of Bwindi and mgahinga park. Mountains and farming in the swiss of Africa.
Where to stay while in Bwindi impenetrable national park?
Despite the fact that the park has four sectors neighboring each other, and so are the hotels which some are luxury, mid-range, and budget. These hotels are there to quality any class of visitors whether group visitors, family visitors, couples, or traveling alone to have the best experience. Some of these lodges in Bwindi include Ruhija community Rest camp, Gorilla hills eco-lodge Bwindi, Rushanga gorilla lodge, Nkuiringo Bwindi gorilla lodge and many more.
Due to the high demand for lodges in the high season, you’re advised to book in time before travel to avoid inconveniences.
