Gorilla Baby Boom in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Gorilla baby boom in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a true celebration for all the wildlife conservationists and primate enthusiasts. As compared to last year 2019 where only 3 baby gorillas were birthed, the number has more than doubled with more births coming in almost every other month since the lockdown that was brought about by the coronavirus disease that has and still is ravaging the world. With 7 baby gorillas being born in just six weeks alone, the Uganda Wildlife Authority declared a gorilla baby boom in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The latest gorilla baby boom in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park news came on 21st October 2020 with a new gorilla addition to Kutu gorilla family of Rushaga gorilla sector. Both the mother and baby gorilla are reported to be in great condition. The gender of the new baby gorilla in Kutu family is still unknown for the fact that it is very hard to come close to a newly born gorilla for the mother and the silverback are very protective. The new addition to Kutu gorilla family in Rushaga gorilla sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park brings the number of family members to 11.

Earlier in the same month of September, Mucunguzi gorilla family in the Rushaga gorilla sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park welcomed a baby gorilla born to an adult female named Ndinkahe. Ndinkahe is a 16 year old adult female that joined the family from an unhabituated wild gorilla family in the park. She was named Ndinkahe which translates to “Where am I?” The birth of a new baby gorilla increased the number of gorilla individuals in the family to 12. 

From the same Rushaga gorilla sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, 2 new baby gorillas were born earlier, further solidifying that there is indeed a gorilla baby boom in Bwindi. The two baby gorillas were born to Muyambi and Nshongi gorilla families on April 25th and May 1st 2020 respectively. Muyambi gorilla family is the newest habituated gorilla family in Rushaga gorilla sector that is now available for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Muyambi gorilla family only has 6 gorilla individuals.

From neighbouring Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, in the same month of September, the famous Nyakagezi gorilla family had a baby gorilla added to the family. The baby gorilla was born to Nshuti which translates to ‘My Friend”, on September 2nd 2020. The birth of the latest baby gorilla in Nyakagezi gorilla family brings the family population to 9 gorilla individuals.

Just as good luck may happen, another baby gorilla was born in the same month of September to Ruterana, an adult female gorilla in Rushegura gorilla family in Buhoma gorilla sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This new born baby gorilla is Ruterana’s third baby. Ruterana who was born in 2002 lost her very first bay gorilla she ever birthed to pneumonia on September 13 2012. 

In the same Rushegura gorilla family in Buhoma gorilla sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Kibande, another adult female, welcomed her fifth baby on august 27th 2020. Kibande is known to birth great leaders for most of her offspring have become dominant silverbacks in different gorilla families.

Gorilla baby boom in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has been remarkable amidst the covid-19 pandemic. The conservation efforts are indeed to be appreciated and acknowledged for this great milestone, more so in one year! The Uganda Wildlife Authority Executive Director thus observed “the birth of new mountain gorillas is testimony to Uganda’s successful conservation efforts. With enhanced integrity of protected areas, there has been a general increase in wildlife populations in Uganda.” The conservation efforts of various stakeholders especially the Gorilla Doctors, UWA rangers and patrol teams as well as the funding that comes from tourists when they do book gorilla trekking, all put together, have done a tremendous job to see that the gorillas are well protected, monitored and treated whenever unwell. With this much effort put in to conserve the already endangered mountain gorillas, the future of mountain gorillas is really secure. Collaborative conservation efforts can indeed pay off, given that they have been successful with mountain gorillas that the IUCN had to reclassify them from critically endangered to just endangered species.

Mountain gorillas can only be found in the Virunga Conservation Area that encompasses Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic; and in the oldest montane jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. Tourists can encounter mountain gorillas in a gorilla trekking adventure, where they go deep into the jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in search of the allocated mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking safaris have seen an increase interest from many tourists on an Africa safari. Most tourists have gorilla trekking as the climax of their Africa safari and most of the tourists that have encountered the gorillas on a gorilla trekking experience name it as the most fascinating tourist activity they have ever had. Coming face-to-face with the mountain gorillas is one thing to behold dear for a very long time. 

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is undoubtedly the best place to see and encounter the endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda. With the gorilla baby boom in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park ongoing amidst the Coronavirus disease, encountering these new additions in the various gorilla families they hail from, as well as their mothers should be reason enough to have you visit Uganda on a Uganda safari and get to enjoy gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as well as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has been reopened including tourism in general in Uganda after almost seven months of closure due to Covid-19. Since 1 October 2020, the Entebbe International Airport has been reopened to international travel and thus reopening tourism as well. Tourists who would like to encounter these new baby gorillas need to reach out to their tour operator of choice and plan one of the most memorable gorilla trekking in Bwindi safaris.