Gorilla: Africa’s gentle giant
STRONG, powerful yet gentle and even shy. The mountain gorilla has always intrigued man. Is it because they are like us and yet so different?
By Harriette Onyalla
STRONG, powerful yet gentle and even shy. The mountain gorilla has always intrigued man. Is it because they are like us and yet so different?
Gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans and humans all belong to the order primates, but the gorilla is the largest of them. It shares up to 97.7% of the human genetic makeup. Living in dense forests, the animal had up to 1903 outwitted man in his attempts to trap it.
Its kind, the western lowland gorillas, were identified by scientists in 1847, while the eastern lowland gorillas were tracked down 1877. The mountain gorillas still remain illusive, and yet, Uganda will offer you an intense experience of mountain gorilla tracking. Here, is where half of the total estimated 720 mountain gorillas in the world live. And, that is just in the Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, a five-hour drive south west of Kampala. Another five-hour drive from the capital towards the border shared by Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, will usher you into Mgahingha forest national park.
A census carried out between April and June 2006 registered 30 gorilla groups in Bwindi. Of these, five groups have become familiar with people. Four of these groups are utilised for tourism, while one is for research. The park was gazetted in 1992 as a national park and is now a UNESCO world heritage site.
Thankfully, apart from nature, the immense knowledge of the guides who have grown up in the neighbouring villages will also be your ally. They will lead you into a journey through the ‘gorilla world’, showing you their favourite hang outs and the giving you a peek into their quiet life.
Make sure to bring shoes with good traction, suitable for steep muddy slopes, rain gear, sunscreen and a hat, as the weather is unpredictable. Carry enough water, food and a binoculars is a good idea, too. When taking photos, remember your subjects are black animals in dim light and a flash might scare them.
According to Geoffrey Baluku, the manager of African Pearl Safaris, it is from this peaceful life that the animals have come to be called Africa’s gentle giants. On a good day, you will find them chewing leaves, laughing and farting not only continuously but with a lot of contentment. They are nomadic, sleeping each night in a fresh nest built from leaves and branches. Mountain gorillas thrive on greenery around them with bamboo, nettles and gallium being some of their favourites.
STRONG, powerful yet gentle and even shy. The mountain gorilla has always intrigued man. Is it because they are like us and yet so different?
Gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans and humans all belong to the order primates, but the gorilla is the largest of them. It shares up to 97.7% of the human genetic makeup. Living in dense forests, the animal had up to 1903 outwitted man in his attempts to trap it.
Its kind, the western lowland gorillas, were identified by scientists in 1847, while the eastern lowland gorillas were tracked down 1877. The mountain gorillas still remain illusive, and yet, Uganda will offer you an intense experience of mountain gorilla tracking. Here, is where half of the total estimated 720 mountain gorillas in the world live. And, that is just in the Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, a five-hour drive south west of Kampala. Another five-hour drive from the capital towards the border shared by Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, will usher you into Mgahingha forest national park.
A census carried out between April and June 2006 registered 30 gorilla groups in Bwindi. Of these, five groups have become familiar with people. Four of these groups are utilised for tourism, while one is for research. The park was gazetted in 1992 as a national park and is now a UNESCO world heritage site.
Thankfully, apart from nature, the immense knowledge of the guides who have grown up in the neighbouring villages will also be your ally. They will lead you into a journey through the ‘gorilla world’, showing you their favourite hang outs and the giving you a peek into their quiet life.
Make sure to bring shoes with good traction, suitable for steep muddy slopes, rain gear, sunscreen and a hat, as the weather is unpredictable. Carry enough water, food and a binoculars is a good idea, too. When taking photos, remember your subjects are black animals in dim light and a flash might scare them.
According to Geoffrey Baluku, the manager of African Pearl Safaris, it is from this peaceful life that the animals have come to be called Africa’s gentle giants. On a good day, you will find them chewing leaves, laughing and farting not only continuously but with a lot of contentment. They are nomadic, sleeping each night in a fresh nest built from leaves and branches. Mountain gorillas thrive on greenery around them with bamboo, nettles and gallium being some of their favourites.