Amidst all the COVID-19 virus confusion and uncertainty, the Hirwa family finally migrate back to Volcanoes national park Rwanda after 6 months in Mgahinga national park.
It was on 28th August 2019 when the family was suddenly spotted in Mgahinga national park and has lived in Mgahinga national park co-existing with the Nyakgezi gorilla family. The Uganda Wildlife Authority had even started allowing tourists to go trekking to see the Hirwa family in Mgahinga right before the covid-19 virus situation locked the world.
On 15th April the family was seen by trackers who monitor the gorilla families daily with in the volcanoes national park even with the corona virus situation at hand, the conservation of mountain gorillas is still at the fore front of the tourism industry in Rwanda.
It’s all not been at home for the Hirwa gorilla family in Mgahinga national park Uganda with the tragic lightening which struck the family early February 2020 where 4 mountain gorillas were killed. As of 25th April 2020, the group was spotted back to Volcanoes national park Rwanda successfully crossed from Mgahinga national park.
Before the migration, the Hirwa group comprised of 17 members, 11 gorillas migrated to Mgahing national park while 6 remained back in Volcanoes national park. 4 mountain gorillas died while in Mgahinga national park because of a lightening leaving 7 mountain gorillas which have been spotted back in volcanoes national park
As its said, East – West, home is best, the gorilla family is rested at its home and hopefully not planning another journey off to Virunga national park.
The volcanoes national park Rwanda, Mgahinga national park Uganda and Virunga national park in Congo are all part of one whole geographic location which would have been one big forest of mountain gorillas hadn’t each section been located in another country!
Today Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park offers a total of 10 habituated gorilla families with the Hirwa gorilla group inclusive, which is a relief to The Rwanda Development Board which has been selling less gorilla permits that last 6 months ever since the migration happened.
Why has the Hirwa Gorilla Family crossed back to Volcanoes national park
Close boundaries of the Virunga conservation region – the Volcanoes national park and Mgahinga national park is very close with the same bamboo forest nature and mountainous region. With the same landscape and altitude, it’s very easy for the gorillas to successfully survive in both forest and not notice they have crossed from their country boundary.
Mgahinga national park is the smallest national park in Uganda and is still the smallest of the Virunga conservation area with Congo’s Virunga national park being the largest of the 3 national parks in this region. Its possible that the group moved because of search for bigger space
Death of 4 gorillas of the Hirwa gorilla family due to lightening and yet another 2 gorillas who succumbed to intestinal and respiratory disease and even worse the loss of baby gorillas newly born on 2nd January 2020 due to respiratory illness while in Mgahinga national park was a great loss to the family and a painful experience. Its no-wonder the family has crossed back home because safety can only be felt when one arrives home.
What went wrong with the Hirwa Group in Mgahinga
Within the 6 months the group has been in Mgahinga national park, they have lost 6 gorillas of the 11 members who crossed from Rwanda and with such a tragedy, many questions are raised as to why many gorillas died which is an unusual situation.
Change of habitat and terrain is a possible cause of this unfortunate situation in the Hirwa family while in Mgahinga national park.
The family could have got an infection as they migrated to Mgahinga, which wasn’t detected when they arrived the park. Normally a group of scientists study the group to make sure they are in good health
