Blogs from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Western Region, Uganda, Africa - page 5

Did you know that there is no single feature that makes an animal a primate, but rather a suite of features that together make primates unmistakable. Most primates possess the following six key charachteristics, although a few species do not posses them all of them. * FORWARD FACING EYES: Both eyes point forwards, in the same direction allowing primates to perceive a three-dimentional view of whatever they look at, although they are unable to look behind them withough turning their head. * EYE SOCKETS: The eyeball sits inside a solid, protective ring of bone called the orbit. * GRASPING HANDS: One digit grips against the other, enabling primates to have a firm grasp. * NAILS: Fingers and toes end in a flat nail to protect against the sensitive tip. * FINGERTIPS: The skin on the fingertips ... read more

An explosive piece of investigative journalism by Hussein Bogere & Simon Musasizi about a huge scandal in Uganda's tourism sector has been published in The Observer yesterday, 30th March 2011. In brief, the article is about a probe committee instituted by the minister of Tourism, Trade and Industry Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, which discovered several discrepancies in the amount of money used in the construction of a community lodge in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park - Cloud Lodge in Nkuringo. The probe also discovered that there is massive exploitation of the community that is supposed to benefit from the lodge, rampant illegal gorilla tracking and forgery of tracking permits and receipts, which drain the wildlife industry of hundreds of millions of shillings monthly. For more on the probe, log onto the web site below adn read ... read more

Janaury and February are the dry months in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Its currently hot with no sign of rain. Fruit trees have begun fruiting deep in the forest and this has pushed the gorillas further inside. Currently, the Rushegura gorilla group are located behind the Buhoma Park Headquarters, slightly up the hill. Mubare gorilla group is close to Rubona Primary School and the Habinyanja gorilla group are back in "the neck" area of the park. Each is a good trek with visitors returning back from their walk around 14h00. Bitukura gorilla group, located in the Ruhija section of the park is still split into two groups. As soon as I get news of their locations and the possible reason for their split, I will post this informatoin. For the birders, the African Green Broadbill ... read more

News just in from the Bwindi guides is that its official - the 34 strong Nshongi Gorilla Group has split. A total of 10 gorillas have left the big group, led by the second dominant silverback, Mishaya. The split is now been confirmed, however the guides are still trying to establish which individuals have left with Mishaya. Its good news for those without pre bought gorilla trekking permits, as one is now able to purchase (on the ground) permits ($500 cash) from UWA offices (the Uganda Wildlife Authority) in Buhoma and Rushaga. Still to be named, the breakaway group are in the same home range as the Nshongi gorillas group. Liaising with the guides, the break-away has come about due to a dominance issue - Nshongi the dominant silvermack of the Nshongi group has always been ... read more

News from the guides in the Rushaga region of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park have confirmed that the 34 strong Nshongi gorilla group have split!!! The silverback Rishaya has left taking along 8 other members including a few females. Is this a good or bad thing? the split has two implications: There is now an additional habituated gorilla group in the Rushaga area...but what caused the split? Pressure from visitors, as this is the most recently habituated band of gorillas. Or, is this a natural occurance, the size of the group becoming too large, group dynamics taking over? We'll keep you posted on the split. Last slit came from the Habinyanja group in March 2009. Since then, Ruansigazi is still on the run!... read more