Honourable Ephraim Kamuntu officially releases the Mountain Gorilla Census results as per the December 2018 census in Bwindi Impenetrable national park located in South Western part of Uganda.
The event is hosted at Kampala Serena Hotel with a number of dignities represented including stakeholders in the tourism and conservation fraternity, ambassadors, and members of different media houses.
The Minister of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities, Professor Ephraim Kamuntu confirmed that Uganda had a record 459 mountain gorillas counted in 50 groups with 13 solitary individuals. The number of gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park had increased from 36 families in 2011 to 50 groups in 2018 leading the the Virunga massif, whose gorilla groups stand at 41 families according to the latest census results of mountain gorillas living in the Virunga.
While considering both Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park combined together, Uganda still reaffirms its position as home to over 50% of the world’s total population of mountain gorillas, a further boost to gorilla tourism in this East African nation.
“It’s not just the gorillas we have. We also have about 11% of the world’s bird species, all of Africa’s big five, a huge population of chimpanzees, an excellent weather, the source of the world’s longest river, a happy and fascinating people and more. Uganda continues to reaffirm itself as a leading holiday destination,” Minister Kamuntu said at the event.
This therefore confirms the increase in the number of gorilla individuals and families.
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