Few weeks ago 20 fully habituated mountain gorillas moved from Rwanda’s gorilla hub Volcanoes national park and crossed borders to the adjoining Uganda’s Mgahinga gorilla national park. Both parks located within the great Virunga conservation areas shared among three countries and the 3rd is Democratic Republic of Congo in its Virunga national park.
The news were confirmed by Uganda wildlife Authority ICT and photographer head Paddy Musiime Muramura, who inveterate that the gorillas crossed to Uganda and have been in Uganda few weeks, these gorillas are being managed alongside the other gorillas living in the Mgahinga forests under the guidelines of the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP).
The (IGCP) programs revenue is share ½ between Rwanda and Uganda if gorillas are tracked across borders, the inconsistency is the gap in the cost of permits between these two countries. The cost of permit in Uganda is currently USD $600 and permit in Rwanda almost triples at US$1500, the two countries had harmonized their prices before Rwanda evaded and rose its cost.
Along the Virunga Conservation Areas shared among three countries of Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, mountain gorillas move freely crossing borders from one country to the other within the landscapes. The Virunga conservation areas are known to harbor over half of the world remaining mountain gorilla population and the rest residing in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park of Uganda.
The migrated gorillas are thought to be from the Hirwa habituated family from the northern part of Rwanda from the Kinigi which are now camped in Uganda. As gorilla’s way of life they don’t make permanent nests rather everyday they make new nest depending on where the day breaks off, the next morning they wander to another place about 3/4 km.
It’s not the first time this happens for gorillas to cross borders, the first time it happened in Uganda at Mgaahinga. It happened sometimes ago when gorillas migrated from Mgahinga and at that time could not trek gorilla at Mgahinga.
Volcanoes national park in Rwanda has about 10 habituated gorilla family, meaning 80 gorilla permits are issued daily to tourist. Mgahinga gorilla national park has only one habituated gorilla family Habinyanja meaning only 8 permits are available for trekking every day.
Mgahinga is the smallest national park in Uganda among the 10, it’s among the most selling destination with a thrilling landscape which attract a number of activities done by tourists. Mgahinga Park is elevated in clouds at an altitude of 2,227 to 4,127m. It’s always covered in misty located in the Virunga conservation areas which is part of the larger Albertine rift valley.
As the name suggest Mgahinga gorilla national park was reserved to protect the endangered forest species the mountain gorilla. However the park also shelters a number of other endangered wild species including the endangered golden monkeys endemic to this forest in Uganda, several Albertine bird species, chimpanzees, over 200 butter fly species and fewer mammal species.
The thrilling hilly landscape of the Mgahinga makes the park a perfect destination for hiking experiences done on the three most catching mountains including mount Muhavura 4,127m, mount Gahinga 3,474m and mount Sabinyo 3.669m the most common hiking trail at the borders of the three countries of the Virunga rregion.
Mgahinga gorilla national park has catch more selling in the international market because of its neighbors the Bwindi impenetrable national park and Volcanoes national park the most selling park due to their exhilarating mountain gorilla trekking.
This park is very significant forest for the ancient cultures in Uganda the Batwa pygmies, the Batwa people are indigenous first forest people. The forest hunters and gatherers who co-existed with the gorillas in the ancient forests currently living around the forest reserve around Mgahinga forests narrate the interesting secret part of the ancient culture which is unrivaled.
Tracking gorillas in any of the parks within the region is hopefully getting easier as DR Congo is interested in joining the East Africa Community bloc.
