The Gentle Giants of Bwindi: Mountain Gorillas of Uganda

Gorillas, Chimpanzees, orangutans and humans all belong to the order of primates .Human share98.4%of their genetic material with gorillas and 98.8% with chimpanzees. Gorillas ,the largest of the great apes are divided into three sub species that include the western lowland gorillas and the Eastern low land gorillas. The Eastern and the Western low land gorillas were identified for science in 1847 and 1877 respectively. The subspecies- the mountain gorilla was identified for scientific purposes in the year 1903 and has gone on to be the Uganda's star attraction. Mountain gorillas are distinct from low land gorillas. They are larger ,have more hair ,a short truck,a broad chest and shoulders and also have a longer and slightly different noise shape. Mountain gorillas are born small, covered with black hair and usually weigh about 2.3 kilograms. Gorillas develop as twice as human babies with the mature female mother also under going a gestation period of nine months. They are unique species ,as a gorilla with an infant may not have another baby not until four years. Male and female gorillas between the ages of three and six years are classified as Juvenile. They increase in size and weight at similar rates for the first six years. On reaching six years most mountain gorillas weigh 68kg and usually four feet tall. The female mountain gorillas stop growing taller at around six years where as the males continue growing both in size and in weight till they reach the age of ten to eleven. Between the ages of six – ten the male ones have black hair and are referred to as the black backs. On reaching maturity which is usually between 10- 12 years, they develop silvery grey hair on their backs therefore referring to them as silver backs. The silver backs usually leave their parental group at the age of 11and then moves alone or in the company of the other males for a few years before managing to attract females from other groups to him hence forming his own family .Silver back is a dominant male in a group about 12 or more gorillas that usually include females ,juveniles and other infants. On a good day ,you find them chewing leaves ,laughing and farting not only continuously but with a lot of contentment .They are diumal and nomadic ,sleeping each night in fresh nest built from leaves and branches. Mountin gorillas are primarily vegetarian with their menu composing bamboo, nettles and gallium being some of their favourites. They occasionally eat safari ants which are scooped in huge handfuls to stuff into the mouth until the safari ant bites over power them. Gorillas spend most of their time in travelling and foraging in search for food since plants and trees change with seasons . Gorillas communicate through vocalizations. Twenty- five vocalization have been so far recognized with each one having its own particular meaning. As an element of their socialization ,they communicate through howls ,grunts ,barks and hoots .screams and roars signal alarm or warning and are often produced by silverbacks . They also communicate by beating on their chests or on the ground .This is done to show stature ,prevent fights or even scare opponents . However, even the infants beat their chests as a kind of displacement activity during play perhaps just to copy their elders. Mountain gorilla life is peace full and quite .It is from this that they have come to be Africa's gentle giants which has promoted gorilla safaris and tourism in general These gentle giants are found in the in the areas of Bwindi Impenetrable Ntional park and Mgahinga Gorilla National park in Uganda while in Rwanda they are confined in Parc des volcans and in Virunga Republic of Congo.

ON THE LOOK OUT OF THE INHIBITED SHOE BILL STOCK.

Whale Headed stork is unusual ,impressive and captivating and main concern number one for any birding safaris in Uganda . With a world population estimated of 12000- 15000 individuals , the bird belongs to Appendix ii of cities and is classified as a globally near - threatened species . Shoebills are initiate only in nine African countries and their range extends from south Sudan ,through Uganda and western Tanzania to south east Democratic Republic of congo and north west Zambia .In Uganda the shoebill has turned out to be the chief tourist attraction which leads to uganda birding tours . It has been recorded in the following areas. Queen Elizabeth National park and Lake George. Frequent in the swamps north of lake George and the shoe bill swamp west of the Hamukungu fishing village as well as swamps on lake Edward. Kyambura Wildlife Reserve. Commonly on the shores of Lake Goerge and occasionally recorded on a fresh water crater marsh ,kineraSemliki Wild life Reserve.It has recored on the edge of reed beds near to the mouth of Semliki Riiver close to Ntoroko fishing village and on lake Albert. Lake Mburo National Park. Quite a lot of pares recognized to crop up in the papyrus swamp elongated in the river Ruizi. Unusual bird within the park, but encountered in the flooded seasonal grass swamps as well as clearings in stable swamp. Nabugabo Wet Land, Masaka District. recorded in marshes nearby to Lake Nabugabo and expected to be normal. Mabamba Bay, On the sea shore of Lake Victoria, is the Mabamba Bay wetland casing about 17,000 hectares of an breadth of miscanthus—a type of grass inhabitant to tropical and subtropical region—but more regularly known as papyrus. The open water in a shape of a canal, is worn to trail birds and away in Busi island that is a dwelling to over 40,000 people. Murchison Falls National Park. It is one of the most excellent places to see shoebills and wildlife safaris.In 1997 a total of 15 birds were counted in one day. Ajai wildlife Reserve ,Nebbi district –reported by local people from swamps near to the Nile River. Lake Nakuwa,soroti,Kamuli district –common in the swamps but highly mistreated by the local people for food and for sale. Lake Bisina, Kumi district - the far reaching swamp has not been surveyed .The most recorded were four pairs with young at the edge of the lake. Lake Opeta,Katakwi,Mbale ,Kumi and sorotiMajorswamps along Lake Victoria shores The predictable shoebill population in Uganda birds is between 350 – 400 breeding pairs however the population of sparse available information shows that shoebills have very specific habitat requirements in terms of vegetation cover. They mainly roost inside papyrus swamps but feed in fairly open places with thick but short floating vegetation. In addition to that about 3.2squarekms of appropriate habitant to breed. A mixture of these factors hinders the allocation of shoebills to curbed areas within apparently fit habitant .even here, the population size can only remain small .Like all long-lived birds shoebills have low recruitment rates requiring many years before becoming and will easily abandon their nests with eggs or young at the slightest provocation.

A key threat to the continued existence of the species is a lack of information a bout the birds .In addition to this ,habitant loss is a particular problem .This results mainly from conversion of wet lands to agriculture .Also swamps are burnt for cultural reasons in search for grazing ,hurting and fishing among other reasons .These fires are mainly set during the dry season , but is not un common to find a wetland burning in every month of the year. These fires decimate any eggs or chicks that may be on the nest. Up till now ,another problem the birds face is direct harvesting for food and trade –shoebills are trapped and / or shot in some areas of Uganda .This is especially true in the areas a round Lake Bisina and Opeta and the northern fringes of Lake Kyoga.Shoebill hunting for food is more widespread than hunting for trade. There is also some persecution of the birds due to a belief in the fishing communities on Lake Kyoga that sighting a shoebill casts a bad omen on fishing endeavors. Therefore , in order to minimize the chances of sighting shoebill ,they are usually hunted and killed. Travel Hemispheres arranges birding safaris for anybody that may be interested.