UWA Habituates Gorillas For Tourism

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in the past few months has been habituating another mountain gorillas group (Bikingi) for tourism. This is a response to a public outcry where tourism stakeholders were not satisfied with the arrangement under which UWA gave monopoly rights of Nkuringo gorillas to a private operator under the disguise of doing it for the local community.

The Bikingi Gorilla family is in the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. If successfully habituated, Bikingi will be the 8th group ready for tracking. Other groups include Nshongi that was officially opened for gorilla tracking in September 2009, Bitukura Group in Ruhija, Mubare, Nkuringo, Habinyanja, Rushegura and Kyaguriro which is currently subjected to research.

The 8 habituated gorilla groups make about 25% of the total gorilla population in Bwindi Impenetrable Gorilla Park. Gorilla tracking contributes 60% of tourism revenue to the coffers of the government of Uganda. “The overall gorilla population has been increasing at an approximate annual growth rate of 1% which implies a healthy population”, according to researchers.

The total mountain gorilla population is estimated to be about 760 with about 340 in the jungles of Bwindi and the rest straddle through Mgahinga, the Volcanoes Park of Rwanda and the Virunga Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo.