Do gorillas talk or communicate?

 

Do Gorillas communicate among themselves or call it GORILLA VOCALIZATIONS

 

Twenty-five distinct vocalizations are recognized, many of which are used primarily for group communication within dense vegetation. Gorilla Sounds  are classified as grunts and barks are heard most frequently while traveling, and indicate the whereabouts of individual group members (Harcourt et al. 1993). They may also be used during social interactions when discipline is required. Screams and roars signal alarm or warning, and are produced most often by silverbacks. Deep, rumbling belches suggest contentment and are heard frequently during feeding and resting periods. They are the most common form of intra group communication (Fossey 1983).

Because of the extensive research begun by Dr. Fossey and since carried on by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International and other gorilla conservation groups, the mountain gorilla is one of the most understood of all gorillas. The general consensus of those who work closely with the mountain gorillas is that they are generally peaceful and gentle.

This doesn’t mean that they won’t occasionally charge, scream or show their teeth, to an outsider or within the group itself. Most of these Mountain Gorilla actions are meant to serve as warnings, to ward off danger or to prevent a fight. Mountain gorillas can communicate in a variety of ways, including facial expressions, sounds, postures and gestures. There is the classic chest beating by male gorillas, which is used to show stature, scare off opponents or even to prevent a fight. When the Mountain Gorilla feels threatened they can make a variety of loud sounds, resembling roars or screams. Facial expressions are mostly used as communication. An open mouth with both upper and lower teeth showing means regressions. A closed mouth with clenched teeth could signal anger.

 

One of the nicest sounds is heard when the group is resting after a period of feeding. Mountain gorillas roughly spend 30% of their day feeding, 30% moving, and 40% resting. At dusk, they prepare to settle down for the night and sleep in nests made of vegetation that the gorillas shove under and around them. Forming of nests is mainly the bending of soft trees, breaking mature bamboo sticks and other tree species that have broad leaves to provide a blanket and shield against the cold. Mothers find a comfortable spot where their backs will be supported as they breast feed and cuddle their babies for the night.

Uganda Gorilla Trekking safaris

 Country Uganda is famous for Mountain Gorilla trekking safaris. Uganda is the home of mountain Gorillas found in Bwindi Impenetrable forest and Mgahinga National parks. These 2 national parks are a natural habitat for mountain gorillas and famous for gorilla tracking safaris. We have arranged captivating Gorilla tours of unforgettable mountain gorilla trekking experiences of one’s lifetime. Mountain gorillas stay in families and are habituated for human interaction. Gorilla safaris include gorilla habituation experience and gorilla trekking safaris and tours inside Bwindi impenetrable forest National park and Mgahinga National  Park. Uganda Hosts more than half the population of mountain gorillas living in the world.

Gorilla trekking is and Incredible experience that one may not underestimate as many may think that it is just a walk. But gorillatrekking is carried out in an impenetrable forest of Bwindi forest national park  that has existed for thousand years and is among the African tropical forests that are still intact and exist in south western  Uganda as a country. You will be trekking hills up and down as the topography  of the area is hilly and  with wide valleys . The day begins with briefing from rangers post or park headquarters. The assembling will be  composed of rangers to guide you, trackers and guides. Also strong Bakiga men who work as porters whom individual trackers will hire their services to  help them carry their back packs and even can support you to give you push if will get tired before getting out of the forest.   Will also need good walking shoes  and a jacket call it rain coat as rain may not be ruled out on every day while still deep in the forest. At times this real African rain forest because you may not miss rain almost on daily basis

 

The time taken for trekking mountain gorillas vary .  Time may range from half and hour to 8 hours if not  the whole day. All depends on the movement of these gentle giants in the forest habitat . Rangers will lead you where the family of gorillas slept. Then from here will start walking into their foot steps until you encounter them. It is this process that trackers will be taking you through where will climb hills/mountains and come down into the valleys and repeat the same activity for different hills and valleys. Then your efforts will pay when you hear low grunting  sound followed by another grunt and your guide turns his head and tells you that keep quite and move forward slowly.

 

Remember you are in a thick canopy of vegetation putting on a curtain and visibility is almost limited. Actually at one point when interacting with our clients of Travel Hemispheres she paused this question . Since it  is always dark ( impenetrable forest) are  we going to carry torches to help us provide light? Well I laughed but told the client that during the day you do not have to carry a torch but the canopy above ,allows  limited sun light that will mange to get through and seeing mountain gorillas will be fine.  So here will come time when you see the family of gorillas you have been trekking. Will sit back and watch juveniles  - play rolling and shoving each other across the forest while the other members of the family chewing what they have eaten. Each family has head called Sliverback  mountain gorilla. This  can be seen easily because it the dominant  one with grey hair on its back . Usually the sliverback is usually reserved and will keep on watching you at distance. He may demonstrate  his ability and authority by pushing himself through the family moving forward and backwards his sheer size and stature casting a shadow of respect. He may pose momentarily , flick at one of the juveniles absently or crash to the forest floor but it realizes no body is questioning his authority  yourself will feel a tingle going down your spine.

 

Having watched for an hour viewing your forest hosts then your guide will  tap your shoulders signaling that time is over to start trekking back slowly back to your location of  stay. As move and walk back  will be exalted the life of these mountain gorillas in such cold environments and have existed here from time immemorial .

Mountain gorillas are trekked throughout the year and booking gorillas expedition will require you to purchase and secure gorilla permit in time before  visitation date. Travel hemispheres has been leading in gorilla safaris and securing mountain gorillas on behalf the clients . We offer full packages of gorilla safaris combining them with other wildlife  Uganda safaris. We scale out down budget gorilla safaris that will fit your pockets.

  

What is  a Mountain Gorilla Sliver Back Gorilla?

Mountain gorillas differ from lowland gorillas (Western Gorillas). At first scientists thought there was no difference between these gorillas.  The sliver back  gorilla is from the  is Mature male mountain gorillas of about 12 years that have grown a sliver grey hair on its back. A saddle of grey hair grows on its back after attaining sexually maturity age. Gorillas are very social animals and each group call it a family may have 5 up 30 or 40 members headed by 1 sliver back mountain gorilla.  A such group will have a sliver back or two of them heading the family. Other members of the group may contain females who are wives to the sliver back thus sliver back gorillas are polygamous in nature. Others are Juveniles and infants. The dominant sliver back commands the family and gives protection and other young sliver backs take orders from the head. Orders may include the directions to take while searching for food and if threatened who should fight first . A silver back enjoys the center of attraction at any time in the group or family.

What can Africa do for Covid Tourism Losses

What can Africa do for Covidd19 Tourism Losses

Here in Africa  if we are to wait for  the world to get healed of Covid 19 virus  and countries to get out of lockdown , local tourism to be  explored  and promoted  , it may take time without making any sales. This will mean loss of income and jobs in tourism industry. Unfortunately African tourism was built on White man  foreigner –MUZUNGU  mentality  not African tourist citizen. People in tourism industry need to appreciate that Africans have less income to spend on traveling and hence travel less. However this is the time now we  tour operators in African safaris start by taking fellow country men to places where we take white people. The earlier we re- designed our itineraries to favor fellow citizens than we shall keep on waiting for Americans who, yes will come but when will this be? Better adjust early and we start promoting internal tourism rather than relying on foreign tourists. Let us turn Ugandans, Kenyans, Rwanda safaris into tourists in their countries in their regions and overcome the safari covid-19  hang up safari doom. 

Here at Travel Hemispheres we are encouraging now the to be Newly weds should not spend a lot of their money into partying but set it aside and convert that income /funds into Uganda honeymoon tours that will help them understand their country better , We have good honeymoon packages for Ugandans .  Our tours are educative , informative and cultural rich to benefit newly weds. We give you a mature old person to guide you all  along your tour  who has an experience  in Senga and Kojja aspirations that will build your longtime togetherness of your lifetime marriage.

Covid19 Lockdown a blow to Mountain Gorillas in Congo

As covid19 is not only affecting people but also the protection of endangered Mountain gorillas in Congo when rebel militia attacked the park and killed 12 rangers protecting Mountain Gorillas in the Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo. All visits were suspended due to Corona virus and these rebels are taking advantage of the situation. This  is affecting gorilla safaris in the region. Even other parks should be on the look out to protect all national parks to top poaching that may come up as result of covid19 lockdowns.

The park in eastern DRC, home to critically endangered mountain gorillas as well as hundreds of other rare species, has faced repeated incursions and attacks by local armed groups.

About 60 fighters from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a Hutu rebel group, ambushed a convoy of civilians that was being protected by 15 rangers, said Cosma Wilungula, the director of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation. Many others were seriously injured, he said.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Virunga park of the incident or casualties.

The park has been repeatedly hit by violence. It was shut to tourists for eight months in 2018 after a series of attacks on staff but reopened after a thorough review of security precautions and reinforcement of the 700 rangers deployed to keep animals and visitors safe.

The park, in North Kivu province, has a reputation as one of the most dangerous conservation projects in the world. It faces multiple security threats including illegal charcoal production, smuggling and poaching, as well as from the Mai Mai militia.

Founded in 1925 by Belgian colonial authorities, the park struggled in the immediate aftermath of the country’s independence in 1960 but flourished under President Mobutu Sese Seko, who took power in 1965.

The park suffered further during the civil war that followed Mobutu’s chaotic fall in 1997. Virunga’s mountain gorilla population declined to 300. It has since risen to more than 1,000, and the numbers of other animals such as forest elephants are also rising.

In 2007 a partnership was established between charities funded by private donors, the EU and the Congolese wildlife service. Emmanuel De Merode took charge and implemented a wide-ranging overhaul.

The rangers, who are recruited from nearby villages, are paid a monthly salary of $250, a sizeable sum for them. Initiatives have focused on nearby communities, with micro-loans and hydroelectric power projects to boost the local economy.

All visits to Virunga were suspended last month to protect the gorillas from infection by the coronavirus. This may affect other gorilla safaris to say Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda  and Volcanoes  national park in Rwanda. All thees 3 national parks share same massif in the Great Lakes Region.

Covid19 lockdown a look into how to promote domestic tourism in Africa.

As we fight Covid 19 lockdown in Africa , we are yet to fight another  economic pandemic of no activity in tourism fraternity.  Africa will be experiencing financial problems revenue that used to be generated from tourism. Generally all tourism in Africa depends on foreign tourists who come from other continents mostly America and Europe.  These continents are being hit harder by Covid19 . What does this one mean it means that even their economies are facing difficulties and jobs are being lost.  People loosing jobs are potential tourists in Africa. For example in America it  is being speculated that only in fuel industry , about 6 million jobs have been lost  or affected.  Where does this one leave Africa. It means we shall be experiencing few  or little business of levels of inflows of tourists we were receiving in African safaris.

Here in Africa our tourism industry has been surviving on foreign tourists.  Now the future is unpredictable of the inflows. Many tours packages that were booked and confirmed are being called and few are being rescheduled. What does this one mean , it tells us that some hotels and lodges will go with empty rooms for quite some time and future is unpredictable. 

Tour and safari handlers call them tour operators  survive on commission what these tourist spend and the difference help tour operators to survive. Tour operators packages are all designed to attract foreign tourists. At any no time have tour operators targeted domestic tourism. 

Uganda countryside

Murchison falls in uganda

Its high time African  safari tourism stake holders meet and consolidate how to harness domestic tourism as we wait for the foreign tourism to come back in full swing. It’s the onus of Park /wildlife authorities call them those who look after national   parks come together with hotel and lodge owners and tour operators call them tour agents  meet and deliberate the way forward. Many countries have tourist boards that are in charge of marketing each country destination . Its high time to promote domestic tourism to fellow country men.

The Safari Covid19 Hangup for Africa Tourism

As I write here in Uganda the country is at lockdown. By the way is lockdown a new word or it has been created because of this pandemic. Uganda has been safari destination country in Africa featuring mountain gorilla safaris and primate tours . Uganda has e featured in the best magazine among the best destination places by CNN that were likely to feature in 2020 -2022 window.

Today as the world is at bay – stay where your are!  Hang up! No flights and I pity the airline  travel industry being the backbone of the whole tourism industry. Anybody without a back bone cannot stand. Simply the safari and tourism will not be back until the airlines can again fill up the skies .   In Africa an increased flights to our airports  from other continents it meant increased number of tourists to that very country. Say departure of British airlines   from some cities in Africa meant decrease of tourists to that destination loss of revenue and loss of jobs.

As  moments of  days and nights pass and , flights are not hovering above Africa  means a lot to our continent. The tourism industry will get shocks of losses in  jobs , loss of revenue of foreign exchange and will see our local currencies  getting devalued. In most of African economies where safari industry has been booming , was the leading foreign exchange earner in our case in East Africa for Uganda safaris , Kenya safaris , Tanzania and Rwanda tourism was the top foreign exchange earner. What does that one mean if the country cannot receive tourists and we don’t know when this will end.  No vaccine yet discovered nor cure so far got. The airline industry most likely to be back in air , there will be when assurance that you will not fear to sit near Chinese whom you think is still carrying the covid-19 virus. Even the Trump American is equally to  be feared and labeled a carrier as we see lots of Americans are being effected and dying than other parts of the world. At one time  the virus was referred to  be Chinese but now all most all countries of the world have tested the wrath of the virus.  So who is safe? May be Ugandan who has not seen single dead body of covid -19.  Uganda as it could be in other African countries not seeing many effected  its because we travel less.

Between January and  February 2020 those countries that had many nationals booked flights and travelled got more chances  for  interaction  with all other global people that were travelling from one point to another and hence got exposed to this virus.  This increased their chances of  getting in contact with those who were effected without knowing . Who does not know that Americans have the highest numbers of people booked in flights in the travel industry and who were in air travelling from different parts of the world around this period. Hence getting many people dying of this virus. So for Africa we had very few people in air  around this period  and less affected .  An American is our tourist, A British is our tourist,  An Italian is our tourist, etc  if these countries are not yet healed, shall then  tourism industry in Africa get healed too.  The answer is BIG NO.

Here in Africa as we if we a wait  the world to get healed and countries to get out of lockdown , local tourism to be  explored  and promoted. Unfortunately African tourism was built on white foreigner –MUZUNGU  mentality  not African tourist citizen. People in tourism industry need to appreciate that Africans have less income to spend on travelling and hence travel less. However this is the time now we  tour operators in Africa start by taking fellow country men to places where we take white people. The earlier we re- designed our itineraries to favor fellow citizens than we shall keep on waiting for Americans who, yes will come but when will this be? Better adjust early and we start promoting internal tourism rather than relying on foreign tourists. Let us turn Ugandans, Kenyans, Rwandans into tourists in their countries in their regions and overcome the safari covid-19  hang up safari doom. Here at Travel Hemispheres we are encouraging now the to be Newly weds should not spend a lot of their money into partying but set it aside and convert that income /funds into Uganda honeymoon tours that will help them understand their country better , We have good honeymoon packages for Ugandans .  Our tours are educative , informative and cultural rich to benefit newly weds. We give you a mature old person to guide you all  along your tour  who has an experience  in Senga and Kojja aspirations that will build your longtime togetherness of your lifetime marriage.