RISE IN POPULATION OF UGANDA’S MOUNTAIN GORILLAS

Trekking gorillas is every safari enthusiast’s trip of a lifetime and the rise in the population of Uganda’s Mountain gorillas is the best news every gorilla trekker wishes to hear. Mountain gorillas have for long been categorized as critically endangered under the IUCN Red List but from 2018 have been declared “no longer critically endangered” but rather endangered because of the tremendous increase in their population being recorded.

This announcement was made on 16th December 2019 by Mr. Sam Mwandha, the Chief Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Authority who also pointed that as of December 2018, the Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga were over 459 in 50 gorilla groups from 400 gorillas in 2011. This shows a 15% rise in the population of Mountain gorillas in Uganda. He further revealed that Gorilla trekking alone brings in more than Shs 60 billion per year and this was seconded by the outgoing Minister of Tourism-Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu.
Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks are the two habitats of Uganda’s Mountain gorillas and both offer shelter to more than half of the World’s remaining population of Mountain gorillas. This tremendous growth is greatly attributed to the endless efforts of Uganda Wildlife Authority through law enforcement, Gorilla Doctors, Local and International Conservation Agencies, the local communities, and tourists.

Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu also pointed that Uganda dubbed the “Pearl of Africa” is a haven to more than 11% of the World’s total bird species and up to 50% of the Continent’s total species of birds in addition to sheltering more than 7% of the World’s mammal diversity as well as up to 39% of the Continent’s mammal diversity. These among others are the key to Uganda’s tourism development as well as economic and national transformation as experienced. He also made it is known as the country’s tourism largely depends on nature and biodiversity and called upon the Government to protect that which the country’s tourism largely depends on.
Tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner for Uganda than Agriculture and other sectors contributing up to 24% of the total exports and offers up to 8% (1.173 million) direct and indirect jobs. Based on overall sector statistics, Mountain gorilla trekking plays a significant role in as one of the top tourism products for Uganda.