Gorilla baby boom continues to Mgahinga

WILDLIFE   TOURISM

In the race to produce babies of Mountain Gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is way ahead of the gorilla sanctuaries in the region. However, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which is Uganda's smallest park (33.7 square kilometres) is also standing up to be counted. 

As conservationists were celebrating the six babies produced within less than six weeks in Bwindi, the kinsmen to the Mountain Gorillas in Mgahinga added more excitement. 

According to a statement from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the baby boom continues now in Nyakagezi family in Mgahinga.

"This time, it is Nshuti the Adult female from Nyakagezi group that gave birth to a lovely new baby on September 2, 2020," states UWA. 

Nshuti like her name is a friendly adult female and her baby has brought the Nyakagezi group number to nine.   

About the Nyakagezi Family

The Kisoro based gorillas in Southwestern Uganda stay in Mgahinga which is part of Virunga Mountains. It is shared by Uganda (Mgahinga), Rwanda and DR Congo. It is composed of nine mountain gorillas.  Nyakagezi group is led by the dominant Silverback Mark assisted by the Silverback Ndugutse. 

Mgahinga has about 80 mountain gorillas, Nyakagezi group are the only habituated group for tourism. It was habituated starting in 1991 and the group was later opened for tourism in 1994.

The name Nyakagezi is derived from Nyakagezi area in Mgahinga where the group spends much of its time.  The place is endowed with food which attracts very many gorillas to come to forage from this place. 

However, the Nyakagezi group is migratory and keeps on camping in neighbouring Rwanda. Nyakagezi seems to have settled in Uganda ever since it came back from Rwanda in 2012. 

Foreign Mountain Gorilla tourists part with $600 (2,212,837) to track the gorillas, as foreigners working in East Africans pay $500 (1,843,197) and East Africans (citizens of East African Community) pay Sh250,000. 

The global population of Mountain gorillas is estimated at 1,008. Bwindi is home to 459 of them. The remaining population is shared by Uganda (Mgahinga), Rwanda and DR Congo.