The endangered Mountain gorillas have intrigued the interest of man, believed to be the largest of the living primates living in inaccessible regions in various dense forests in tropical Africa. Located within a chain of eight volcanoes known as the Virunga Volcanoes running through the western section of the Rift Valley, forming part of the border between Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.

 These spectacular mountains and the nearby Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda are the last refuges of the most endangered of the gorilla subspecies, the mountain gorilla. Only about 630 of these giant apes remain. These mountain gorillas have greatly contributed to increase in safaris in Uganda. Mountain Gorillas safaris can be done in: – Uganda- Bwindi impenetrable forest national park as well as in Mgahinga which is part of the Virungas, Rwanda- Volcanoes National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo- Virunga National Park

 Travel and visit mountain gorillas which are shy and gentle. Usually seeks no trouble unless harassed but will valiantly defend its family group if threatened. Family groups are close-knit and may have up to 30 members and even smaller, the group usually consists of at least one older male, one or more females and a few juveniles.

Gorillas have strong attachments to members of their own group and even when groups meet and mingle and then subsequently part, each animal tends to remain with its respective unit. An adult male is called a silver-back gorilla named due to the silvery gray hairs on its back normally leads each group, serving as its chief protector and defender. Gorillas continually wander through their home ranges of 10 to 15 square miles, feeding and resting throughout the day.

Gorillas scream, grab foliage and stuff it in their mouths, stand erect on their hind legs, tear up and throw plants, drum on the chest with hands or fists, stamp their feet, strike the ground with the palms of their hands and gallop in a mock attack on all fours.

Mountain gorillas have a slow rate of reproduction. Females give birth for the first time an age of 10 and will have more offspring every three or four years. A male begins to breed between the age of 12 and 15 years, when he is in charge of his own group. Able to conceive for only about three days each month, the female produces a single young with in a period of nine months of pregnancy.

Newborn gorillas are weak and tiny, weighing in at about 4 pounds. Their fragile movements are as awkward as those of human infants, but their development is roughly twice as fast. At about 3 or 4 months, the gorilla infant can sit upright and can stand with support soon after. It suckles regularly for about a year and is gradually weaned at about 31months/2 years, when it becomes more independent. Come and see what it means to take a gorilla safari to Bwindi impenetrable national park.

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