WILDLIFE IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK.
Carpeted with the oldest tropical thick rainforests, Bwindi Impenetrable national park is indeed a wildlife sanctuary. The park boasts with 120 mammals, 220 butterfly species, 350 forest birds, 10 primate species including half of the world’s total of the remaining mountain gorillas. Let me take you through them.
PRIMATES.
About 10 primate species live in Bwindi including the rare and endangered species. These include gorillas, chimpanzees, monkey like rare Golden monkeys, Black and White Columbus monkeys, Blue Monkeys, the rare L’Hoests monkeys, baboons among others.
The park has over 19 habituated families that all underwent habituation. Weighing over 440 pounds, the gentle giants stand at height of 5 feet, behave in calmly manner. When compared to the gorillas in West and Central Africa, mountain gorillas in Bwindi have thicker and longer hair for warmth in the high altitudes.
OTHER FOREST SPECIES.
Your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable national park will be accompanied by a number of mammals including large and small mammals like forest elephants commonly in Ruhija, Sitatunga antelopes in the swamps, golden cats, clawless otter and bush pigs. Among other mammals, include numerous bats and also rodents. Besides, the park has recorded amphibians amounting to 27 with 11 being endemic to the Albertine rift, snakes species and lizards.
BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES.
Bwindi Impenetrable does not leave out the birders. With over 347 forest bird species, 23 are endemic to the Albertine rift and 4 globally threatened. Birding in the park takes place in the Ruhija sector in Mubwindi Swamp The commonly seen birds include African Green Broadbill, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Black billed Turacco, Purple breasted sunbirds , Regal sunbirds, Short tailed Warbler, Black Bee- eater, among others. Bwindi forest also harbors about 220 butterfly species which accounts to over 84% of the country’s total.