Average Number of Gorilla Births in Bwindi – Bwindi National Park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda, in the districts of Kanungu, Kisoro, and Kabale, on the edge of the Albertine Rift and the western branch of the East African Rift.
The Bwindi forest covers an area of about 321 sq km at an altitude of 1160m to 2607m above sea level. It was gazetted as a national park in 1991 and designated as a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site in 1994.
The major tourist attraction in Bwindi is the mountain gorillas, with a population of about 459 individuals.
There are about 20 gorilla groups in Bwindi, with the Mubare gorilla group in Buhoma being the first to be habituated for tourism.
These magnificent apes are divided between the forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the nearby Virunga ranges, with Bwindi being the major mountain gorilla trekking destination in the world.
Bwindi is a tropical rainforest with temperatures ranging from 7 to 15°C (minimum) and 20 to 27°C (maximum). The annual rainfall in Bwindi is heavy, ranging from 1400mm to 1900mm.
Tourists can access Bwindi by either air or road; it is approximately an 8 to 9-hour drive from Entebbe or Kampala by road, and a 1-hour flight from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro airstrip, where tourists are picked up by car to Bwindi National Park.
Average Number of Gorilla Births
The gestation period of mountain gorillas is about 8.5 to 9 months, similar to that of humans. A newborn gorilla, called an infant, weighs about 2kg.
The reproduction rate of gorillas is very slow, and a female gorilla can produce about six infants or fewer in her lifetime, with a gap of about four years between births as the infant matures.
A female gorilla reaches sexual maturity at about 10-12 years, at which point she can give birth.
It is the role of the dominant silverback to mate with the females in a particular group; attempting to mate with his females can lead to fights.
Gorillas rarely give birth to twins. The average number of gorilla births in a year is about 15 infants in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Care of the Young Infants
Infants stay very close to their mothers for the first six months and nurse for up to 3 to 4 years. These infants are highly respected by all members of the family, including the silverback, and it is rare for them to be harmed.
Gorilla Life Cycle
Gorillas mature faster than humans. At 9 weeks, they start crawling, and at about 3 months, they begin to explore their environment.
At 34 weeks, gorillas start walking and traveling short distances under their mother’s watch.
Gorillas become adolescents at ages 6 to 8 years.
Females mature at 10 to 12 years and become sexually active, while males mature at 15 years.
Tourist Attractions in Bwindi
- Mountain gorillas
- Buhoma sector
- Homing trail
- Birds
- Batwa people
Accommodation
- Kiho Gorilla Safari Lodge
- Bwindi My Home
- Bwindi Forest Lodge
- Ruhija Gorilla Guest Home
Simultaneously, gorilla births are very low, contributing to their small population, despite other factors like habitat loss, poaching, and diseases.
