Where Mountain Gorillas Live?

East-central Africa is where mountain gorillas live in the wild. This part of the continent has 2 isolated groups of the species. The Virunga Conservation Area houses one of the groups in 3 forests found across the borders of Uganda, Congo and Rwanda. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Meanwhile, the second group lives in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. This forest extends to the Sarambwe Wildlife Reserve in Congo.

Habitats of Mountain Gorillas?

High altitude montane and bamboo forests are where mountain gorillas live. They love these habitats because they lie at 1,400-3,800 meters above sea level. Mountain gorillas thrive here because they get nourishment and shelter. The forest offers them their favourite food, composed largely of leaves, shoots, roots and stems. Other things that make up a minority of their diet include ants, larvae and snails, etc. Currently, their habitats face threats due to encroachment for settlement and agriculture.

Population of Mountain Gorillas on Earth?

Records show that 1,063 mountain gorillas exist today, and their population is on an upward trajectory. Uganda alone houses half of that total population, in both Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Now, to break this down, 459 individual gorillas can be seen where mountain gorillas live in the Bwindi-Sarambwe ecosystem. Meanwhile, the entire Virunga range shelters 604 individual mountain gorillas. Now, over 70% of the mountain gorillas in the wild have been habituated.

How to see Mountain Gorillas?

If you go to where mountain gorillas live, to see them, either do a gorilla trek or a habituation experience. A gorilla trek involves a hike in any of the dense forests that keep mountain gorillas to locate a habituated group. All gorilla destinations offer a priceless 1 hour for visitors to spend in the presence of a mountain gorilla group. For an extended time in their presence, a gorilla habituation experience is available in only Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Now this offers 4 hours in the presence of a semi-habituated group of mountain gorillas.

The duration to track and see them in the wild depends on their movements, the terrain and your speed. They tend to spend their nights in different locations of the forest each day, so to track them, the previous night’s location is put into consideration. Meanwhile, you need to ensure your body is fit enough to walk for up to 6 hours if necessary. Imagine you have to jump over streams while passing through thick foliage. For the terrain, some parts of each forest offer steep surfaces while others offer easier, even surfaces.

Cost of gorilla trek?

Gorilla trek in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo is done at different costs. The activity is offered to luxury travellers in Rwanda who have to pay $1,500 per person. In Uganda, to explore where mountain gorillas live, in a gorilla trek, you must pay $800 per person. Meanwhile, Congo offers the cheapest gorilla treks, at $400 per person. Note that these prices apply to only foreign nonresidents. Uganda has introduced discounted rates for gorilla treks in the low season. Now, each foreign nonresident can pay only $600 to track gorillas in April, May and November.

For the extended gorilla habituation experience in Uganda, the price is $1,500 per person. But, from January 1, 2027, all foreign nonresidents must pay only $1,800 per person to experience this. In Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has made it necessary for everyone to purchase gorilla permits through a registered tour operator. In Rwanda, this is done through the tour operator or the Rwanda Development Board. You can pay at the entrance of Virunga National Park to track gorillas there.

Nevertheless, the best way to buy a permit is through a tour operator because it helps reduce stress and expenses. It is better to purchase the permit in advance because the demand for them in Uganda and Rwanda is overwhelmingly high. Consider 3 months before you travel, where mountain gorillas live in either country.

Some facts about Mountain Gorillas?

Mountain gorillas are the biggest and strongest of all the primates on earth. Their adult males weigh 180 kg and even more, while females weigh 90 kg. Dark brown or black fur covers their bodies. This is essential for their survival in the cool temperatures felt in high-altitude areas. However, most adult males get a distinguishable silver-grey patch across their back or hip. Because of this, these males get the name of silverback. When fully erect, they stand at approximately 1.8 meters, compared to females at 1.5 meters.

Mountain gorillas survive in patriarchal families, headed by the dominant silverback. The latter is tasked with protection and guidance. Each mountain gorilla family comprises at least 2 members, but the average is 10-15. In some families, members number up to 30. Females of the family could move away from the family at around age 8 to settle in an established family. Sometimes they just move from one family to another before they eventually settle in one they prefer. They get to reach their reproductive stage at 9 years of age.

At the age of 11, the males start to gradually leave their families. At first, they spend time quite close to their family, until they eventually leave for good. They may return to reclaim the family from their father, or the current dominant male. Alternatively, they might choose to live solo until they attract a female or more to start a family of their own. Mountain gorillas are our cousins since we share 98% of DNA. According to the IUCN Red list, they are categorized as endangered. This is good news since they had become critically endangered some decades ago.