The 14th February 2023 was a day full of love and Joy in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. A day well known for expressing affection and Love to special people world over, was a double love celebration as a baby Gorilla was born to an adult female Tomvi of Mukiza Gorilla Family, Ruhija sector.
A Facebook post by Uganda Wildlife Authority announced, “we have a new baby”. This was after 3 days of the baby’s arrival. New Gorilla mothers are very protective to their new babies (typical of mothers in general!), and for this reason, a team of Rangers had to keep a distance for some days without a single opportunity for a nice photo.
Mukiza family is in Ruhija sector, one of Uganda’s 24 habituated Gorilla families. Bwindi impenetrable National Park has a total of 23 habituated Gorillas families out of which 21 are available for tourism.
The new baby at Mukiza family brings total number of members to 19. The family was habituated in 2016 after splitting from Kyaguriro Family. This outstanding family spends most of the time in the inner forest and hardly goes to the Forest borders.
About Mountain Gorillas
Scientifically referred as Gorilla beriengei beriengei, mountain gorillas are part of the Eastern gorillas and live in only three countries- Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These Giant Apes are large hominids characterized by long arms, broad chests and large heads. These creatures also have flat noses as well as bald hands, breasts, faces and feet. Mountain Gorillas’ gestation period is 8.5 months and afterwards, only one baby (weighing about 2 kilograms/4.4 pounds) is born every 4-6 years (although there are few cases of Twin births).
Mountain gorillas are marked by thick and dark fur (owing to their uniquely cold natural habitats), although adult males develop silver-gray saddles on the backs to their hips hence referred as “silverbacks”. With a total world population of about 1,063 individuals (according to statistics released in 2019), about half of them are found in Uganda. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where majority of them are found is divided into sectors/regions- Buhoma (in the North), Ruhija (in the East), Rushaga and Nkuringo (in the south). Other Gorilla families in Ruhija sector are Bitukura, Oruzogo, Kyaguriro A and Kyaguriro B.
More info about Mountain Gorillas, check out – Gorilla info
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