Great news for Uganda gorilla tourism management as the country gains 1 full gorilla family comprising of 20 mountain gorillas migrating from Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park into Uganda’s Mt. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in southwestern Uganda. By nature mountain gorillas are nomads and move daily in groups and its quite possible to cross borders unknowingly. And as it looks, the Hirwa group crossed into Uganda’s borders to Mgahinga national park where its currently settled. This means at this time until the gorilla family can cross back Mgahinga national park offers 2 gorilla families for tracking unlike before.

In history the Nyakegezi gorilla family has been known to cross borders from Mgahinga national park to Volcanoes and periodically returns back. The Hirwa Gorilla group mirated from the northern part of Kinigi province all the way south into Mgahinga national park.

Mountain gorillas are located in the large virunga conservation region which covering borders of Rwanda in Volcanoes national park, Uganda in Mgahinga national park and Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga national park. Although the Virunga massif is called differently in each country, its infact on geographic area covered in jungle forest and volcanoes which are home to the rare mountain gorillas. With such a setting its easy for gorillas to freely roam within the forest as they have no knowledge of the geographical landmarks separating each country.

According to officials from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Hirwa gorilla family has indeed been sighted in Mgahinga national park for about  2 weeks now and are under the conservation policy of the the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP) which manages all gorillas in the Virunga conservation region.

What can cause mountain Gorillas to Migrate

• By nature mountain gorillas are nomads and the beauty is that they move in groups of families, hence its normal to endup crossing borders as long as they are within the protected forest region.
• Mountain gorillas normally move searching for food and shelter – Daily gorillas move when the area they are occupying has less food for the group. This doesn’t count for thy crossing borders as its accidental to end up out of their forest into another geographic location.
• Any kind of threat can force a gorilla group to move, this can be threat from another family, fight for leadership and poser, diseases, conflicts and wars, poachers, community, lack of enough space in the forest, and so many threats.

Is the Hirwa Group likely to move back to Rwanda?

Yes, the group can voluntarily migrate back to Rwanda but the time frame is unknown. It can be months to years before the group migrates back to Volcanoes national park.

When the Nyakagezi gorilla group would migrate to neighboring borders, it would last about 2 years and overnight the group returns back home. For the time frame the group had migrated, the Uganda Wildlife Authority wasn’t issuing gorilla permits to Mgahinga as there wasn’t a family to visit. All the tourists who had paid to visit the Nyakagezi group at the time were shifted to other available gorilla groups.

It’s not confirmed yet if the Uganda wildlife Authority will be issuing gorilla trekking permits for tourists who would like to visit the Hirwa gorilla group at Mgahinga national park. Its necessary to take some time studying the group to be sure if it’s here to stay or about to move.

What you need to know about Mgahinga National park

Not as popular as Bwindi National park, Uganda is blessed with 2 places where tourists can visit to see groups of mountain gorilla families. Locates at the extreme south of Uganda, Mgahinga national park is part of the Virunga conservation region also known as the Virunga massif covering of the great Albertine Rift. The Virunga geographic region is known for the rich endemic and quite a number of the worlds most threatened species : the mountain gorillas, Golden monkeys and chimpanzees. The Virunga region comprises of 8 volcanoes, 3 national park bordering Uganda, Congo and Rwanda.

Mgahinga national park is home to the Nyakagezi gorilla group which comprises of over 20 mountain gorillas and is said to be the easiest and most rewarding gorilla family to visit in Uganda. With the Hirwa gorilla family migrating into the Mgahinga forest, hopefully if the group stays long will give Mgahinga national park 2 gorilla families for tracking.

 

The controversy of the price of the Hirwa gorilla family permits

If the Hirwa gorilla family were to stick in Mgahinga national park, what would be the ideal amount to sell gorilla permits to see this beautiful gorilla group?

I know what you are thinking! J In Rwanda that family is worth USD12,000 each day. Should it cost the same in Uganda for a while until it migrates back to Volcanoes national park?

Alright let’s wait and see what the Uganda wildlife authority has to say about that.