Last year a census was carried out in the Virunga massif to find out the the number of mountain gorillas in the region. The project carried out by researchers with the three governments of Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda was to help ascertain the number of mountain gorillas . Conservation efforts have helped the number of mountain gorillas increase from near extinction to the 720 in 2006 when the last census was carried.

In 2011, a census was carried out in Bwindi impenetrable forest and Mgahinga national parks in Uganda; Parc Des Volcans in Rwanda and the Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mountain gorillas are endemic to these three Countries and can only be found in the Virunga massif which is shared by these Countries. They live in high altitudes with rain forest and feed on leaves and bamboo shoots.

According to projections from the 2006 mountain gorilla population census the number of mountain gorillas was expected to increase to over 800 mountain gorillas by 2011. However the results have not yet been released by the researchers who carried out the census late last year. Conservation efforts by International wildlife organizations as well the the governments of the three Countries in addition to the international and local tour operators has helped in taming the tide of the loss of the mountain gorillas. People like Diana Fossey have helped greatly in raising awareness about the plight of the mountain gorillas.

Rwanda’s  gorilla tourism   has increased tremendously thanks to the governments efforts in promoting conservation of the mountain gorillas.   

Gorilla tracking in Rwanda raises a lot of revenue for the Country and is in the top three regarding foreign exchange earners.

In Uganda gorilla trekking in Bwindi   is the leading tour attraction although the Country has a high number of tour attractions as well as national parks. On the way to Bwindi, one can do a Queen Elizabeth Park safari   or  Lake Mburo safari as these national parks are on the way to Bwindi impenetrable national park  .  There is also the option of doing both a gorilla and chimpanzee trekking   not only in  Queen Elizabeth national park and Bwindi impenetrable forest but also in Kibale national park. Kibale forest is know for chimpanzee tour   packages and has the highest density of primates in the World with over 13 different species.

It is expected that with the increase in the number of mountain gorillas in Uganda   , there will be an increase in tourist dollarscoming into the Country. Already two new families have been opened up for gorilla tracking   in the Southern sector of Bwindi increasing the number of Uganda gorilla permits   to 48 per day.

It is important that conservation efforts increase as the gorilla safari packages  also increase because mountain gorillas can easily bewiped out given that they share 97% of our DNA. This means that diseases which would otherwise be treated easily in humans can be transmitted to the gorillas and completely wipe out their populations. Like humans, mountain gorillas live in families with a male silverback as the dominant gorilla. A disease like flu which is easily treated among humans if it gets into a mountain gorilla family can cause such untold damage to the gorillas

Mountain gorillas are found only in the border regions of Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The number of mountain gorillas in the wild is estimated to be about 700 only.

These endangered primates live in social groups with a family headed by a dorminate silverback gorillas whose main purpose is to protect the family from danger and other lone silverbacks.

The name silverback is derived from the silver hair on its back which comes with age. It is only the silverback that reserves the right to mate with the females in the family.

In Rwanda mountain gorillas are found in Volcanoes national park while in the Democratic Republic of Congo they are found in Virunga national park. These two national parks abut each other.

The killing of a baby mountain gorilla by poachers in the month of February led to the formation of a joint team of an anti-poaching unit between the governments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According Mr. Prosper U. the formation of the unit has so far yielded results and led to the confiscation of many traps and snares within these two national parks.

Mountain gorilla safari is the leading tour attraction for Rwanda with a gorilla trekking permit costing a whooping $750 per tourist visiting the park.

The other half of the mountain gorillas found in the wild can be found in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable national park in the South West of the Country.

Rwanda Primate Tracking, Uganda Chimpanzee Tour Packages

There is a paradox between wildlife conservation and oil exploration in Uganda’s Murchison falls national park area in the Albertine region.

Conservationists are having a difficult time trying to convince the oil prospectors about the importance of wildlife to the Country and future generations.

Hardly had we moved a few metres away from Wanseko landing site in Buliisa district, when Elvis Muhangi, my guide, turned and whispered: “Shoebill” Gorilla trekking Africa

“He is out there on the swampy patch to the left,” Muhangi pointed out, as he paddled through a tiny channel separating two large marshes.

In this marshy delta is where chances of encountering the shoebill stork, a wild bird about the size of a turkey hunting for either  insects, frogs or tiny fish and sometimes snakes are high.

“Visitors from all over the world come to see this rare bird,” says Muhangi. “They feel like conquerors when they encounter the shoebill stork because it is only found in a few places in Africa.” Gorilla Safari Africa

The excitement over the shoebill faded as frogs croaked and insects hidden in the expansive marshland sang different melodies. They were probably ushering us into the heart of the unspoilt Nile Delta, together with spectacular wildlife and pristine scenery.

This brought me face to face with the wild beauties of the Nile Delta, one of the most treasured parts of the earth, where River Nile meets Lake Albert.

A short distance away, fishermen who eke a living out of the delta were perched on wooden canoes, excited by the day’s catch. At the heart of the Nile Delta, large water birds, probably in thousands, gathered for easy pickings. How many birds are in this delta, I wondered.

Their huge number does not seem to matter because there is plenty for the creatures to eat. As we moved around the delta, most of the smaller birds were flirting and others making acrobatic landings like their cousins, the aeroplanes. It was like the Biblical Garden of Eden.

This wildlife paradise, according to Gard Mugiri, the warden incharge of monitoring at the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), has always been a battle ground for wildlife rangers and fishermen who have depleted fish from the lake and now sneak into the delta to catch bigger fish. A big part of the delta is protected as Murchison Falls National Park.

Other than the fight with fishermen, conservationists are facing a bigger hurdle since prospectors predict that wildlife beauties of the delta could be sitting on one of the most sought after treasures, oil.

The water has many shiny blue patches, which oil experts call oil seeps. “We could be having more oil in the delta than in any other part of the country. But this place is also a delicate ecological system needed for the conservation,” says Reuben Kashambuzi, an advisor in the Ministry of Energy.

THE DELTA IS A SANCTUARY FOR WILD ANIMALS

River Nile drops much of its silt in Lake Albert. When the river reaches the delta, it splits into more than 50 channels that either lead into the wider Lake Albert near Wanseko,

or Panyimur located in Nebbi district or the Albert Nile on its way to the Sudan border.

Over time, this has created floating islands, home to many aquatic plants. The islands have become an attraction to wildlife, including large mammals such as elephants.

 “Animals like elephants barely move four kilometres away from where there is plentiful supply of water in the dry season.”

 DELTA IS KEY TO TOURISM AREA

The wildlife species flocking the delta have also been accompanied by tourists. Mugiri says the delta is gazetted as a tourism zone, together with the neighbouring Buligi sector, according to the tourism master plan.

“The delta has all the big mammals,” says Mugiri.

“Because of the different attributes, the delta is attractive to many species.”

Over 80% of the tourists visiting Murchison Falls National Park go to the delta and the nearby Buliigi sector because of the many species in the area, according to Mugiri.

But the oil installations could be causing negative visual impact and the visitors who come expecting to experience a true wilderness may feel cheated, according to Mugiri.

To minimise the negative impact, the oil operations in the park take place in seasons when tourism is low and UWA also demands for immediate restoration.

“We are also demanding for surface installations,” says Mugiri, adding that they will not abandon Buliigi sector.

In addition, UWA has started creating an alternative tourism circuit around the Murchison Falls National Park, which is expected to diversify the tourism attractions.” Uganda gorilla safari

STUDIES TO ESTABLISH THE IMPACT OF OIL ON MIGRATORY ANIMALS ONGOING

According to park authorities at Murchison Falls, there is ongoing research to study the impact of oil operations on animal movements and behaviour in the park.

Four elephants have been fitted with collars containing satellites in research conducted by UWA and the US-based Wildlife Conservation Society. He also pointed out that two lions have been collared to monitor the impact on the big cats.

Gorilla safari in Rwanda

The mountain gorilla population census results which was carried out in 2011 is still pending weeks after it was completed. The census of mountain gorillas is vital in gauging the success of the conservation efforts that are being put into preserving the mountain gorillas for future generations.

Mountain gorillas live in social groups with families ranging from 2 to any number. Each family is usually headed by a dominant male silverback the name being derived from the silver strip on its back which is attained with maturity among the males.

Some of these mountain gorilla families are usually habituated to human beings so as to boost tourism in the national parks. The money from the tourism is then used to help in conservation efforts. On the other hand tourism helps raise awareness about the mountain gorillas. It is estimated from the 2006 mountain gorilla population census that there are about 800 mountain gorillas in the wild in the World. All these gorillas are only found in the border region of Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

With their thick fur, these gentle giants closely resemble humans with about 97% of the DNA similar to that of humans.

The conservation efforts of mountain gorillas was pioneered by Diana Fossey and her work has been the subject of many books and movies. Today there are several NGOs that have been started to commemorate her work. She lived among the gorillas in the jungles of Africa for sometime till she met her death at the hands of brutal rebels.

Today gorilla safari in Uganda can be done in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park as well as in Mgahinga national park. However gorilla tracking in Mgahinga is not carried out that often as the mountain gorillas keep crossing to and from Rwanda making the gorilla permit booking a little hard for tourists.

In Rwanda gorilla tracking is done in the thick jungles of Volcanoes national park. A Volcanoes gorilla safari is the most sought-after Rwanda safari activity. However Rwanda has also managed to turn the bitter and torrid history of the genocide into something that can benefit today’s Rwanda through tourism. Today Rwanda’s cultural tourism includes a visit to one of the Rwanda genocide memorial centers.

Besides the visit to gorillas in Rwanda, there is also the opportunity to do chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park. This is one of the other major national parks in Rwanda offering also Rwanda birding safari activities. Here there is also a canopy walkway for tourist to experience the beauty of the forest and see some of the different primates and birds in the forest.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo whose past has been checkered by wars and civil arrest, mountain gorilla safari can be done in the Virunga national park which is Africa’s oldest national park.

A Congo gorilla safari is probably cheaper than in the other two Countries given the nature of the politics in the Country however, the risks involved sometimes keep tourists away.

Mountain gorillas are highly endangered and can only be found in the wild in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. There are currently about only 800 mountain gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo as per the projections from the 2006 mountain gorilla census. In Uganda mountain gorillas can be found in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and in the Mgahinga mountains. However the gorillas in Mgahinga mountains are mobile and often cross over into Rwanda or the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda mountain gorillas can be found in Par Des Volcanos. This park offers great mountain gorilla trekking opportunities for those interested in visiting mountain gorillas. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, mountain gorillas are found in Virunga national park. For a gorilla safari in Virunga, one can acquire very cheap permits due to the insecurity in the region.

Late this year there was a mountain gorilla census in all these three Countries and we are awaiting the results of the census. Of all the creatures in the wild, mountain gorillas and chimpanzees are the most similar to humans with about 97% similarity to human DNA.

The killers of Mizano - the only black back mountain gorilla that belonging to Habinyanja family of mountain gorillas in Bwindi national park have been fined by the court in Kanungu District Shs 20,000 which is approximately $20 dollars each.

This has caused an uproar among conservationists and the Uganda Wildlife Authority - UWA the body charged with protecting Uganda’s wildlife. According to Lilian Nsubuga the spokesperson of Uganda Wildlife Authority, the judge was not aware of how much the mountain gorillas play in bringing income to Uganda’s economy. Mountain gorillas are in the top 3 foreign exchange earners for Uganda bringing in millions of dollars annually.

Nsubuga said they would bring the matter up with the office of the Chief Justice although they don’t intend to appeal the court ruling. It is a shame that the culprits who in June entered Bwindi impenetrable Forest national park and speared Mizano as they were poaching for bush meat were only fined a measly Shs 50,000 (approx. $20). For one to do a gorilla safari in Uganda as well as Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (areas in which the mountain gorillas are endemic) they have to pay $500 as gorilla permit fees - This includes park entrance fees as well the tour guide costs.

It is imperative the courts as well as Uganda Wildlife Authority officials begin to mete out huge fines on all poachers as well as trespassers if we are going to safeguard the national parks in Uganda as well as our wildlife.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority in order to raise more funds from the tourism industry has increased the park entry tariffs for both local and foreign tourists to the parks. This will see the Uganda Wildlife Authority – UWA earnings jump from 20 billion Uganda Shillings (approx. $10m) to 30 billing Uganda Shillings (approx. $15m) in annual revenue.

The new tariff structures will see Uganda locals paying 10,000 Uganda shillings which is double what the were originally paying and students who once entered the parks for free will be required to pay 2500 Uganda Shillings which is approximately $1.

According to the Uganda Wildlife Authority the cost of running the national parks has tremendously increased and the Uganda shilling has lost a lot of value against the dollar thus the increment.

According to the Uganda Wildlife Authority acting director of Tourism and business services the Authority does a lot of supervisory work around Uganda’s national parks and this coupled with the depreciation of the Uganda shilling has made it impossible to maintain the status quo.

However the other fees for the different activities in the national parks will remain the same such as filming, gorilla trekking (although there has been a reduction in low seasons from $500 to $350 dollars for non-resident foreign tourists) as well as the fee for vehicle entrance.

The new fees structures will see foreign tourists paying $35 dollars for non-foreign residents and $30 for resident foreign tourists.

According to Mr. Masaba the reason behind not increasing the filming fees is so as to encourage more documentaries which will help boost the image of the Country and sell its tour attractions.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority has also introduced new activities such as experiential tourism in which tourists will be allowed to take part in the different activities in Uganda’s national parks such as carrying out of game census and treating of the animals.

Uganda tourism is seeing a tremendous increase in foreign exchange earnings especially from gorilla safari.  There is an increase in the number of mountain gorilla families where tourists can carry out mountain gorilla trekking. Bwindi gorilla safari packages has helped make Uganda’s tourism the second most important foreign exchange earner for the 3 years running.

Ii was saddening to read in one of Uganda’s leading newspapers the Daily Monitor about the killing of more than 200 baboons in the District of Luweero. This was due to a directive by the officials of the district. It is said that the baboons have been causing a lot of wreckage destroying the crops in the Sub-county of Kamira.

But how do we expect baboons to survive yet feed on leaves, grass, roots, bark, flowers, fruits, lichens, tubers, seeds, and mushrooms, among others? During dry season, baboons feed mostly on corns and rhizomes. They also feed on spiders and scorpions. Baboons do not know whether the plants they eat are crops in peoples’ gardens or wild plants.

Therefore, it is the responsibility of man to secure what belongs to them (man) without pointing fingers on baboons. Moreover, it is people who have encroached the environment where baboons should live for agriculture and other uses.

Uganda is one of the destinations for many tourists who want to have a glimpse of game, including baboons, in their natural setting. In this regard, the Uganda Wild Life Authority should do more to protect all wild life in the country. Luweero District officials should have first sought UWA guidance on how to deal with the baboons before killing them. Uganda tourism

UWA should support the surviving baboons in the sub-country to go through bereavement peacefully. This is because if they are not well-handled, the surviving baboons can cause more havoc in the area.

Last year, baboons in eastern Uganda ‘protested’ the killing of one of their own by temporarily disrupting traffic on the Tororo-Jinja highway.

For your Uganda tours such as gorilla tour, wildlife safari and whitewater rafting along the Nile

The rapid destruction of Kenya’s wildlife habitat by the rapid population expansion is endangering the lives of one of Kenya’s leading foreign exchange earnings. Kenya airways whose major clients are tourists visiting the Country have realized the danger caused by this and are embarking on sensitizing the citizens by organizing marathons.

One would imagine three young beautiful women to the wilderness that is the Maasai Mara are on holiday or a retreat, but Samah Shalaby, the reigning Miss Egypt, Susan Ajaa Alaak (Miss Sudan) and their host Fiona Konchellah, the Miss Kenya 2009, made the trip in the name of conservation.

“It is what we have to do to promote a better life in society. You realise that the need for conserving the environment cuts across the age divide, and it’s important we are involved,” said Ms Konchellah. Where to see gorillas in Africa

More than 1,000 people descended on the Olchorro Oiroruwa Conservancy for the Kenya Airways Mara Marathon, aimed at conserving wildlife, promoting education and improving sanitation and water access for the Maasai community of about 12,000 living in the area. Bird conservation

White rhino

Significantly, the marathon organisers are also concerned about the white rhino, a rare animal on the brink of extinction. Understandably, a drop in tourists visiting the destination would translate into a drop in business for the national carrier, Kenya Airways.

It is this, together with efforts to conserve the Mau Forest — the source of Mara River on which animals in the Maasai Mara rely on for water — that the beauties are concerned about. Masai Mara tour

“You realise most of the water in Lake Victoria comes from the Mau Forest. The lake is the main source of the Nile, the river that sustains life in Egypt.

That is why I’m here, to help conserve the Nile,” said Shalaby, the 24-year-old Miss Egypt, who works in a bank. African safari Kenya

On her part Kenya’s Ms Konchellah is using her Green Youth Initiative to make the Maasai to appreciate the importance of conservation and reduce the conflict pitting animals against humans over scarce resources in the vast wilderness.

“The whole idea is to address the cause, which is found in Mau, and that is why we intend to plant trees in the Mau. But over here, it is crucial the people realise they need to conserve the animals and accept to live together and reap the benefits from tourism,” said Konchellah.

Hotels like Fair Mont Mara Safari Club have established lodges in the tranquil wild to attract the tourists and have incorporated the community in the management.

Munene Ngotho, the hotel general manager: “Both Maasai and wildlife extract their living from the Mara,” he said.

John Konchellah, the Maasai Mara Race director, said: “The three girls represent what is mainly the Nile Basin. We were also expecting Miss Ethiopia, but she was held up, and was not able to come.” How watch the great migration

The target is the Mau Forest, which is the source of Mara River, that for years has been able to attract both the animals and human to quench their thirst from the scotching sun.

“It is this demand for survival that triggers the animals to cross the Mara River, providing food to the crocodiles, and causing the eighth wonder of the world,” said Ms Konchellah. Egypt safari

Together with her colleagues from Egypt and Sudan, she is aiming at planting over 1.5 million trees in the Mau Forest and teaches her local community on the values of environmental conservation. African safari

The event gave the athletes an opportunity to race with the animals crossing their paths severally. The Girls also danced and raced with other Maasai women and embraced their culture and styles.

“It is important we fit in their culture. This way, it is easy to convince them about our goals,” said Ms Konchellah. Maasi mara Kenya safari