Primate Tracking Safaris in Uganda : Uganda’s extraordinary primate list contains 13 primate species and six nocturnal species, making it the continent’s destination with the most primates. Mountain gorillas and chimps are at the top of the list, receiving the most attention from primate safari visitors.
Other primates include a golden monkey, de brazza’s monkey, black and white colobus monkey, red colobus monkey, potto, bush baby, grey-checked mangabey, l’Hoest monkey, red-tailed monkey, vervet monkey, Patas monkey, baboon, and blue monkey.
Guenon monkeys, members of the taxonomically controversial genus Cercopithecus, account for six of Uganda’s daylight primates. For example, the velvet and blue guenon monkeys are both widespread African species having at least five different common names and over 20 recognized races, some of which are considered separate species by certain authorities.
Uganda also has the most in-depth primate observing chances of any African country. The most popular subjects for wildlife photography safaris and naturalist expeditions are mountain gorillas and chimpanzees.
During a habituation journey, travelers are taken on a wilder experience with monkeys. Guided excursions with primatologists and rangers take you to a semi-habituated gorilla or chimp family and give you the opportunity to spend 4 to 12 hours with the creatures.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking and Kibale Forest for chimp tracking are Uganda’s most well-known primate tracking destinations, as are Budongo Forest near Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Semuliki National Park.
Top Primates to lookout for during Primate Tracking in Uganda.
Chimpanzees
In Uganda, chimps are the second most sought-after primate species after gorillas. Humans and chimps share at least 94% of their DNA. They are social, intelligent, and communicative, and may use tools like as boulders to smash nuts, empty pods to scoop water, and sticks to entice termites from their nests.
Because these abilities are handed down from generation to generation, certain units specialize in different activities based on their environment and diet. Chimpanzees live in groups of 10 to 100 people.
Chimpanzees kiss, groom, and look after each other’s babies. Young chimpanzees are not self-sufficient until they are four years old. Their diet consists of leaves, fruit, flowers, and seeds. Despite spending so much time on the ground, chimpanzees prefer to construct their nests in trees.
The greatest chimp trekking Destinations in Uganda are Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Kyambura Gorge or the nearby Kalinzu forest, Murchison Falls National Park’s Budongo woods, and Toro- Semuliki Wildlife Reserve, which is next to Semuliki National Park.
A permit to follow chimps in Kibale National Park in Uganda costs $200 for non-residents, $150 for locals, and UGX 150,000 for East African citizens. A chimp trekking permit at Kyambura Gorge, Queen Elizabeth National Park, costs $50 for both Foreign Residents and Non-Residents, and UGX 30,000 per person for East African Citizens. Toro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve charges $30 per person for both international residents and non-residents, and UGX 20,000 for East African nationals to follow chimpanzees.
Mountain Gorillas
The presence of gorillas in Africa’s tropical woodlands has long been recognized, and not only by natives. The earliest mention of apes dates back 2000 years, when sailors from the North African province of Carthage landed in West Africa and attempted to capture numerous apes, culminating in a bloody clash that gave the beasts the Carthaginian name for ‘scratcher’ – ‘gorilla.’
Mountain gorillas are the most sought-after primates in Uganda and throughout the world. The dense forest of Uganda is home to more than half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. The remaining land is shared by Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Virunga National Park. Because these delicate ecosystems cannot live in captivity, maintaining them is vital to their existence.
Gorillas share 98 percent of their DNA with humans and display uncanny human characteristics. The close-knit family group is led by a silverback, a senior male with white hair on his back who typically leads the flock in search of food and new nesting grounds.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are home to mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is one of the most profitable tourism activities, attracting foreign tourists from all over the world.
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs $700 for non-residents, $600 for locals, and UGX 250,000 for East African nationals. A three-day hike in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda may cost as little as $1278 per person.
Olive Baboons
Olive baboons are also among Uganda’s most common primates. They congregate in large numbers and are commonly observed near highways preparing to attack vehicles in search of food. Karuma Falls in Pakwach is a popular location for viewing these naughty creatures.
Olive baboons spend more time on the ground than most other ape species, although they sleep in trees at night. They can survive for long periods of time without water by sucking the dew off their fur.
Monkeys
The phrase “monkey” can refer to any of the family Simiiformes, also known as simians. Except for apes, all species in the group now known as simians were previously classified as monkeys. Golden monkeys, De Brazza’s monkeys, Black and White Colobus monkeys, Red Colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys, Patas monkeys, and Blue monkeys are some of the most prevalent monkey species seen in Uganda’s woods.
In Conclusion: Primates are a famous tourist attraction in Uganda. Tourists above the age of 16 are permitted to undertake primate tracking in Uganda. Tracking monkeys in Uganda helps trackers to gain a better understanding of primates while also emphasizing the need of safeguarding these majestic and intelligent creatures for future generations.
