What is Gorilla Habituation and Gorilla Habituation Experience?
What is Gorilla Habituation? Gorilla habituation is the process of smoothly introducing the Mountain Gorillas in the wild to the eyesight and presence of human beings for research, tourism, care and conservation purposes. When tourists led and guided by consultants and researchers get to participate in the process, it is what is called gorilla habituation experience.
What is Gorilla Habituation Experience?
Gorilla Habituation Experience is an encounter program in which visitors are allowed to participate in the habituation process by spending time with the endangered primates of a selected family.
The Gorilla Habituation Process
The gorilla habituation process is a training drive that helps wild gorillas in getting accustomed to the presence of humans in their natural setting. The process a unique experience that may take between two to five years and offers a more tranquil and educational closeness with the gorillas than normal gorilla trekking. The process entails the following:-
Start with the Dominant Male
The process commences by attaining the trust of the dominant male gorilla. And once the male is at peace with people, the rest of the group members will follow him.
Commit time with Gorillas
Researchers and park rangers spend time with the gorillas every day and as days pass, they increasingly commit time and reduce on the distance between them.
Name the Gorillas
After realizing that the gorillas are comfortable with human existence around them, then they are given names accordingly.
Introduce Mock Visits
Gorilla naming is followed by a mock exercise by introducing a few guests like scientists, researchers or ranger guides to the gorillas.
Allow Tourists to Visit
Once it is confirmed that the gorillas are at ease with humans, tourists are then allowed to visit them.
In Uganda, gorilla habituation and its experience by tourists is carried out in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are the only two mountain gorilla parks in Uganda. However, the experience is only done in Bwindi national park with only two gorilla groups despite having many habituated gorilla families. When gorilla groups are habituated or get well adapted to human presence, they are made available for gorilla trekking. However, the habituation process focuses on those families being familiarized to humans to allow visitors also get involved.
Permits and Bwindi Tours
To enjoy the adventure exercise, you need to book a permit for gorilla Bwindi National Park Uganda. The permit costs $1500 and you have a chance to enter the park and stay with the mountain gorillas for four hour. Check out for Bwindi habituation tours are offered and organised by Animal Safaris, one of the professional tour operators in the country.