Mountain Gorillas in Uganda, Uganda is one of the three Africa countries that habituate the endangered mountain Gorillas. Uganda gorilla trekking safaris are popular on most traveler’s bucket lists when planning their Uganda Safari tours. Uganda is home to more than half of the remaining mountain gorillas that live in the dense forests of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga  Gorilla National Park.

The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is a subspecies of the eastern gorilla only found in East and Central Africa. Mountain gorilla are known for their large body structure and thick fur. The thick far found on the mountain gorillas enable them to live in extremely cold areas like the misty Virunga Area. The mountain Gorilla is the biggest living primate species and also the most powerful among all primate species.

The mountain gorilla is the most threatened of all the gorilla species and can only be found in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Among all gorilla trekking destinations, Uganda has the highest mountain gorilla population with Bwindi alone registering about 5050 individuals as of the lates gorilla census. The other Mountain Gorilla National Parks in the world include; Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Volcanoes National Park and Virunga National Park.

Where do mountain gorillas live? - Where to see Mountain Gorillas in Uganda?

The mountain gorillas live in east-central Africa, in only two conservation Areas. The first area where mountain gorillas live in the Africa is around the Virunga Volcano Mountains, which is extend to three East African Countries of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The second Area where you can go to spot the endangered mountain gorillas is the isolated rift valley montane forest in Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Mountain gorillas inhabit high-altitude montane and bamboo forests, located between 8,000 to 13,000 feet (1,400 m to 3,800 meters) above sea level. This is mainly because of the favorable weather conditions for gorillas and abundant food to feed on. These forests are surrounded by human settlements.

If you are wondering what makes mountain gorillas a special specie,  mountain gorilla shares a 98% genetic similarity with humans. However, unlike humans, they have not developed the necessary immunity to common human diseases, which makes them vulnerable to human illnesses. Even a simple cold can negatively impact the gorillas' health. Among all these gorilla trekking regions, Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has the highest number of habituated mountain gorilla families(19) making it a hotspot for gorilla safaris in Africa.

Gorilla trekking safaris

Gorilla tourism/ gorilla trekking safaris/ mountain gorilla tracking safaris is the main reason why these creatures have survived extinction in the first place. There are devoted government bodies that are devoted to conserving these precious species. There are several measures that have been put up to conserve mountain gorillas including health monitoring, habituating them for tourism, controlling the number of visitors, keeping at least 10 meters from them, and wearing a facemask during visits.

Gorilla trekking safaris/mountain gorilla tracking is one of the primary draw of tourists to Uganda. Imagine sitting in silence in the cold forest for 60 minutes while watching these elusive primates play, feed and groom their young ones. You will feel a sense of familiarity as the try to mimic human behaviors – a once in a lifetime experience to include in your bucket list when planning a Uganda safari tour.

Other facts about Mountain Gorillas in Uganda

Size

Mountain gorillas are large and powerful primates species. On average male mountain gorilla can weigh 136 to 230 kilograms (300 to 485 pounds) and reach a standing height of 4 to 6 feet (1.2 – 1.8 meters). The female is however more lighter than the adult male gorilla (silverback)

Diet – What do gorillas feed on?

Although Mountain gorillas are large and muscular in nature, they are primarily herbivores and spend a quarter of their day eating a vegetarian diet, primarily including roots, shoots, leaves, fruit, wild celery, tree bark, and pulp. Their diet is rich in water and on rare cases do these giant primates drink water. Mountain Gorillas find plenty of food in the thick forest in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mountain gorillas also occasionally eat raw protein from snails and ants, and their source of sodium is tree bark. On a normal day, an adult male mountain gorilla can eat up to a whopping 34 kilos (75 lbs) a day, and a female up to 18 kilos (40 pounds) of food.

Social Life of a Mountain Gorilla

Mountain gorillas are fascinating creatures that live in stable family groups referred to as troops or bands. These groups usually consist of 10 to 40 individuals, among which one male serves as the dominant silverback, while several females also reside in the same troop.

The silverback is responsible for ensuring the family's well-being. He finds good foraging spots, defends them from intruders, manages family feuds, finds secure nesting spots, and patrols an area of 0.75 to 16 square miles, which is referred to as their home range.

If any member of the troop challenges the silverback, they are likely to be intimidated by his impressive physical power. He may stand up straight, throw objects, make aggressive charges, pound his massive chest while barking out powerful hoots, or unleash a frightening roar.

Despite these displays and the apparent physical strength of mountain gorillas, they are generally calm and non-aggressive, unless someone or something threatens them. In the gorilla group, both males and females take care of their infants by hugging, carrying, and playing with them.

When the infants grow older, most males and around 60% of females leave their birth group to join another troop. This migration helps prevent inbreeding and ensures genetic diversity in the gorilla population.

Communication

Gorillas are known for their remarkable intelligence, particularly when in captivity. They have demonstrated an ability to learn simple human sign language, and primatologists have observed mountain gorillas using up to 16 different types of communication calls. However, it is worth noting that no mountain gorillas have ever survived in captivity; those in captivity are the eastern lowland gorillas, which are smaller and more adaptable than their mountain counterparts.

The mountain gorilla is known to use short barks when it is mildly alarmed or curious. Male gorillas, on the other hand, employ a range of tactics to intimidate their rivals, including strutting with stiff legs, beating their chests, and using vocalizations such as roars or hoots.

It is interesting to note that baby gorillas are classified as infants until they reach around three-and-a-half years old, after which they are considered adults from about eight years of age. Male gorillas between the ages of eight and twelve are referred to as "blackbacks," and after reaching twelve years old, they develop a silver section of hair over their back and hips, earning them the name "silverback.".’

Gorilla trekking permits

The Uganda Wildlife Authority charges foreigners about $ 700, to experience gorilla trekking into the jungles and spend 60 minutes in the presence of a habituated gorilla family, for a gorilla permit. This cost of the is higher than that of resident foreigners working in Uganda, who can purchase the permit for $600, while Ugandans are charged 250k per permit.

If you are interested in experiencing the great apes, you can choose to visit Mgahinga National Park, or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. However, Bwindi offers better options as it has more than four sectors or trailheads, along with exceptional accommodation options.

For those who wish to spend more time with the mountain gorillas, we recommend a gorilla habituation experience. Uganda offers gorilla habituation experiences in Bwindi for up to four people per day. During the adventure, four people can accompany primatologists and rangers into the jungle, find a semi-habituated gorilla family, and spend a minimum of four hours with them. It’s an ideal excursion for gorilla photography.