The Gorilla Guardians of Bwindi, Uganda

This report covers the progress on Conservation Through Public Health’s project on GlobalGiving, ‘The Gorilla Guardians of Bwindi, Uganda #44078

Our last report was submitted in March 2023. To date, the project has a total of 357 donations amounting to $23,245 of the $30,000 fundraising goal.

The following are key accomplishments.

Gorilla Health Monitoring

The Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) field team, led by our Wildlife Health and Laboratory Technician, and Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers and Gorilla Guardians, continued their routine health monitoring of the gorillas through non-invasive gorilla fecal sample collection from gorilla night nests, from all the 23 habituated gorilla groups of Bwindi and Mgahinga Conservation Area (BMCA).

This quarter, our field technical team collected a total of 754 gorilla fecal samples with 213 collected in March 2023, 185 in April 2023, 189 in May 2023 and 167 in June 2023 respectively. All these fecal samples were analysed at our Gorilla Health and Community Conservation Centre to check for the presence of diseases that mountain gorillas could be sharing with neighbouring people and livestock.Routine gorilla health monitoring, sample collection and analysis are an essential early warning system, enabling quick action if any diseases of concern are identified.

The Gorilla Guardians continued their role of herding back mountain gorillas and other wildlife back to the forest whenever they came out of the park to forage in people’s gardens.

On a sad note, we lost one of the gorilla guardians from Nkuringo in the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Mr. Evarist Bahebyabusha died of natural causes in May 2023. He was one of the most active members of the Gorilla Guardians of Bwindi. May his soul Rest in Peace. He will be greatly missed.

Other updates:

We are thrilled to let you know that our Founder and CEO, Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka has written a memoir "Walking with Gorillas" which is now available in Uganda, USA and UK bookstores and can be ordered online. The memoir covers her conservation and leadership journey working with mountain gorillas and other life moments which are worth reading. We hope that our supporters at GlobalGiving will enjoy reading the book.

Thank you very much for all your great support.  

Links:

• Visit our website here for CTPH Latest News

This report covers the progress on Conservation Through Public Health’s project on GlobalGiving, ‘The Gorilla Guardians of Bwindi, Uganda #44078

Our last report was submitted in November 2022. By that time, the project had a total of 292 donations from 125 donors. Of these donors, 5 were monthly donors and the project has 1 fundraiser. $20,272 of our $30,000 goal was raised. Todate, the project has raised $22,482 of the of $30,000 funding goal, with a total of 328 donations from 134 donors. 5 of these are monthly donors with 1 fundraiser.

What we have done

Gorilla Health Monitoring

Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) field team, led by the Wildlife Health and Laboratory Technician together with Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers and Gorilla Guardians, continued the routine activity of gorilla health monitoring through non-invasive gorilla fecal sample collection from gorilla night nests, from all the 23 habituated gorilla groups of Bwindi and Mgahinga Conservation Area (BMCA).

Since the last report (from November 2022 to date), our field team managed to collect 747 gorilla fecal samples and analysed them to identify any diseases gorillas have and that they could be sharing with people and livestock neighboring the gorilla habitat.

The Gorilla Guardians continued their role of chasing gorillas back to the forest whenever they came out of the park to forage in people’s gardens. The Guardians also reported to us they are chasing elephants.

“Elephants love Eucalyptus trees, millet, bananas and potatoes. We are always on Guard these days to chase them back to the forest whenever they come to people gardens” said Jeremiah Tugabe, one of the Gorilla Guardians of Bwindi.

Other updates

Gorilla Group interactions

Silverback Kanywani, from Rushegura gorilla family split from his group and went with two females from Rushegura group and another female from Katwe gorilla family to create his own family which is yet to be given a family name. Kanywani was also joined by an unknown Sub Adult Female from an unknown gorilla family bringing his family to 5. This left Rushegura Gorilla family with 16 individuals and Katwe family with 9 individuals.

In Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Kyaguriro gorilla family was joined by one individual whose age, sex and name are not yet known. The family has been composed of 2 Black Backs 1 Juvenile and 1 silverback, Rukara. All females from Kyaguriro A moved to Kyaguriro B gorilla family, leaving Rukara because of his advanced age.

New gorilla birth

We are glad to share with you the news of a new addition to the world’s mountain gorilla population. This quarter, we registered the first gorilla birth at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) this year.

Adult female Tomvi of Mukiza Gorilla family gave birth to a healthy baby on Valentine’s Day, 14/02/2023 which resounded quite well with the season.

This increases the Mukiza gorilla family from 18 to 19 individuals. The mother and father have since been very protective of their little bundle of joy who is yet to be given a name. We shall share the baby’s name as soon as our partners Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) names the baby.

We greatly appreciate GlobalGiving and all the individual donors on the GlobalGiving platform for all the continued generous support towards the work of the Gorilla Guardians of Bwindi

Links:

• Visit here for CTPH Latest News