Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda Move to Uganda – Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes Move to Mgahinga National Park.
A family of gorillas from Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park relocates to Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Twenty members of the Hirwa gorilla family from Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park are said to have relocated to Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and have been there for a week.
The Volcanoes’ Mountain Gorillas Relocate to Mgahinga
The International Gorilla Conservation Program’s (IGCP) rules govern this. Since Volcanoes National Park is the only park in Rwanda where mountain gorillas may walk, it is the only Rwandan gorilla safari park.
The park is within the Virunga massif, a group of eight volcanoes that crosses the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and Congo. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park shares an area with Volcanoes National Park as it is located inside the Virunga range.
While Volcanoes National Park is located in the northern region of Rwanda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in southwest Uganda. Both parks are administered by their respective governments; Rwanda’s gorilla park is handled by the Rwanda Development Board, while Uganda’s is controlled by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Rwandan Mountain Gorillas: These primates are able to travel freely over Rwanda, Uganda, and Congo. Within the Virunga massif, this has already occurred.
It is up to the gorillas themselves to decide whether they will remain in Uganda or return to Rwanda.
Mountain gorillas’ transboundary mobility within the Virunga massif may be caused by pressure from intergroup rivalry for food and reproduction, in addition to the fact that they are a species that knows no boundaries.
Following the relocation of 20 mountain gorillas from volcanoes to Mgahinga, what comes next?
Rwanda’s comments on the issue are typical and should be interpreted as such.
According to the CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, Rwanda has traditionally been the country where the greatest number of gorillas have crossed from nearby nations.
Because of the Greater Virunga’s history of border crossings, a revenue-sharing program was established when Gorillas Cross.
In order to safeguard a network of transboundary protected areas in the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Uganda formed the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) in 2015.
Revenue from tracking gorillas across borders is split 50/50 between the two nations in the Greater Virunga Transboundary Program.
The program is also applicable to any other species found in the Virunga mountain, such as the indigenous Golden Monkeys.
As a result, the two nations will work together to preserve the rare species. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda will continue as normal with the remaining gorillas since just one gorilla family left the country. Additionally, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park will keep up its gorilla trekking operations.
About the Gorilla National Park in Mgahinga
As the name suggests, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was established to save the region’s endangered mountain gorillas.
Nestled inside the Virunga range, the park rises between 2,227 and 4,127 meters (7,306 and 13,540 feet) above sea level. The park is the smallest of Uganda’s national parks, at 33.7 square kilometers.
Because Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to one gorilla family, the Nyakagezi, it contributes to the large number of mountain gorillas in Uganda. The park is part of the Virunga mountains and is close to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Congo’s Virunga National Park.
As many tourists look for this remarkable gorilla family, which consists of five silverbacks living in peace, Uganda gorilla safaris are the most popular activity in the park. The group has traits that set them apart from other gorilla families and is calm. A three-day safari from Uganda or even a few days from Rwanda might include gorilla trekking in Mgahinga.
at addition to gorilla trekking, birdwatching is another fulfilling hobby at Mgahinga. The park is home to over 180 bird species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift such as the Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Batis, and Rwenzori Nightjar, among many more.
What is the price of going gorilla trekking in Uganda?
Trekking with mountain gorillas is among the priciest things to do in Uganda. Both Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are included in the price of gorilla trekking packages in Uganda.