Ruhija’s Bitukura mountain gorilla group gets new baby
Ruhija’s Bitukura Mountain Gorilla group gets new baby : Bitukura mountain gorilla family in Ruhija sector Bwindi National Park was blessed with a new baby last week. The news that was shared by the Uganda Wildlife Authority stated the group has gotten a new baby gorilla from a female adult named Ruhara.
From the Uganda wildlife Authority reports, it was stated the different members of the group were delighted at the arrival of this new baby and that the infants and juveniles of the group were seen fighting to have a glance at this young who was guarded by the group’s current silverback Ndahura. The mother gorilla as expected is well and spending most of her time nursing and caring for this new baby.
The Bitukura group has suffered defections in the past year and that has greatly affected the group numbers so the arrival of this baby gorilla is such a great boast to the group’s numbers. The defections saw the group loose its then silverback Rukara and the rise of the group’s current silverback Ndahura who is leading the group of females and infants. The arrival of this baby gorilla is said to also have boasted the spirits of the other group members in the midst of the wet weather that has been greatly evident in this season.
Bitukura mountain gorilla family usually nests in the Bugarama areas of the Ruhija sector and that’s where the current silverback Ndahura resides. The group is one of the recently habituated mountain gorilla families. At the time of its habituation the group had four silverbacks with Rukara being the dominant; with the other silverbacks/black backs being Ndahura, Rukumu, Mugisha and Obia. The group then had a total number of 13 members but 3 to 4 members have defected the group since then and as stated above the family has gotten a new baby. Meaning the total number of members is now about 10 or 11.
The Ruhija sector is located east of the famous Bwindi Impenetrable forest and is accessed through Kabale district. The sector is currently home to three mountain gorilla families that are the Bitukura mountain gorilla group, the Oruzogo mountain gorilla group, and the Kyaguriro mountain gorilla group. Before it opened up for tourist trekking activities the sector was used for research and science studies.
The Ruhija sector is quite calm compared to the other sectors in the park and usually offers its trekkers a secluded mountain gorilla trekking experience. A trekking experience in this sector gives you a chance to experience one of the three families in the sector as you enjoy the beauty of the surrounding views of the virunga massifs.
Ruhija is also home to other wildlife like the elephants, monkeys and antelopes and for persons doing combined safaris of Bwindi National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park, this is the best sector because it is in very close proximity with Queen Elizabeth National Park.
A combined safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park gives you a chance to see the famous tree climbing lions in the park’s Ishasha sector. In Queen Elizabeth National Park you also get to have a game drive to view several other wild mammals, have a boat ride on the Kazinga channel, go bird viewing and have nature walks among other things.
Mountain gorilla trekking safaris are the most popular safaris in Uganda and they are done in Bwindi National Park which hosts 50% of the world’s mountain gorilla population and Mgahinga National Park that is part of the virunga massifs.
The mountain gorilla trekking permits in Uganda usually go for 700 USD for foreigners non – residents but are currently on a discount until 31st July 2021.
