Hirwa Gorilla Family Returned to Rwanda.
After migrating to Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park on August 28, 2019, the Hirwa gorilla family returned to Rwanda. Rwandan gorilla trackers first observed and identified the Hirwa gorilla family on April 15, 2020, at Volcanoes National Park.
The family returned to Rwanda a few weeks ago. The Rwanda Development Board, or RDB, posted an official statement on their website confirming the return of the Hirwa gorilla family. There was a lot of excitement and hope for the future when the Hirwa gorilla group’s return was announced.
There were seventeen gorillas in all when the Hirwa family moved to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. However, the Hirwa gorilla family only had 11 gorillas when they returned to Rwanda after two of them died of respiratory diseases and intestinal blockage, and four of them were killed by lightning on February 3, 2020. The January 2020 birth of the Hirwa gorilla family’s lone extra member, who was born in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, also died of intestinal blockage of the colon.
The Hirwa gorilla family is one of many gorilla groups that have moved to the Virunga Massif, which includes the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.
Because of seasonal food availability and rivalry amongst groups for food and reproduction, gorilla families in this region are always on the move, straying from their home range and ending up somewhere else. The Nyakagezi gorilla family, which resided in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park until a few years ago, is one of the several gorilla groups that move between the Virunga Massif’s parks.
The Hirwa gorilla troop has been trekking from Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for the last eight months or more. Reservations are made via the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and the gorilla permit fee is $600 per person, which will increase to $700 per person by July 2020. Rwanda and Uganda received an equal portion of the collected income.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offers gorilla trekking.
One of the most popular activities in Uganda is gorilla trekking at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which offers peace and quiet in addition to an excellent gorilla trekking experience. All year long, gorilla trekking is available at Mgahinga, and safaris may be booked via reputable tour companies. The Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only habituated gorilla family in the park, having lived there for a number of years.
Because there was only one habituated gorilla troop, only eight people could undertake gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park each day due to the limited number of gorilla permits available. This remained true until August 2019, when the Hirwa gorilla family migrated, increasing the daily number of gorilla hikers to 16.
Since only the Nyakagezi gorilla family remains, the reintroduction of the Hirwa gorilla group to Rwanda has an impact on the number of gorilla trekkers permitted daily entry into Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Due to high demand and a limit on the number of trekkers permitted, travelers who are interested in gorilla trekking in Mgahinga are urged to reserve their gorilla safaris well in advance.
Gorilla licenses in Uganda may be obtained directly the Uganda Wildlife Authority reservations team or through reputable tour companies for $800 for international non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, and UGX300,000 for East African nationals. Many visitors choose to undertake gorilla trekking in Uganda, namely in Mgahinga or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, since a single gorilla permit in Rwanda costs $1,500.
The Family of Hirwa Gorillas went back to Rwanda
Officials from the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the nation’s tourist sector welcomed the 2019 migration of the Hirwa gorilla family, and their return home is also highly recognized. In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, gorilla trekking is still possible even in the absence of the Hirwa gorilla family.
When you visit the park, be sure to view the Nyakagezi gorilla family. Their peaceful and united nature will astound you. For assistance in organizing the greatest gorilla safari in Uganda, get in contact with a reputable tour operator.
