Gorilla trekking age limit.
Gorillas are great apes that are very friendly and carry 98.3% genetic component with humans
With close human cousins have broad chests and shoulders and live in families led by a dominant silverback who foresees the activities of the group .
The gorillas are mainly vegetarians that feed on leaves , vines , backs of trees , insects and fruits.
They are also very friendly creatures especially after habituation where they can even carry out their daily activities in human presence such as feeding , playing , resting , breastfeeding and many others .
Though they are very friendly, these majestic apes show agression once they feel threatened or attacked as a protective mechanism .
It is therefore very important to note the different gorilla rules and regulations while in an encounter with these gorillas .
The act of looking for gorillas and spending strictly an hour with them after acquiring a gorilla trekking permits Is called gorilla trekking.
Gorilla trekking activity involves certain restrictions and therefore not everyone is allowed to engage in and carry out the exercise including age limit to trek .
The gorilla trekking age limit is very clear in all the three Countries where gorillas live world wide that is to say , Uganda, Rwanda, And Democratic Republic of Congo with their minimum age being fifteen years old .
This means that persons below the age of fifteen can not be allowed to trek given the following reasons.
Persons below the age of fifteen are minors who might not be able to understand and positively perceive negative reactions from charging gorillas and might not stay calm and want to scream or run which may lead to an attack by the gorillas
Minors might not be in position to trek longer distances in search for the gorillas in case they have moved deeper into the habitats and might constantly want to rest .
Minors are also not mentally prepared to understand the different gorilla rules and regulations and act according to the directions given and are easily carried away by anything they see around them which makes their focus on gorilla trekking limited
Minors might also be having diseases like flu and cough and since humans carry 98% genetic relation with gorillas, gorillas might easily be affected by these diseases since they are not resistant to them.
However , much as all the countries set 15 years of age as the minimum age for gorilla trekking , Uganda also provides an exception for children that are fourteen years of age however certain conditions have to first be met such as
The parents are supposed to sign an indemnity note to protect the organization and the park warden in case anything wrong happens during the trek .
The minor must show great maturity and must be mentally , physically and medically fit for the trek .
Such conditions once met can led to inclusion of the minor .
By and large , gorilla trekking is an unforgettable experience once one meets the required trekking requirements and age
