Lockdown babies – Uganda celebrates birth of two mountain gorillas
 

In spite of all the negative vibe from around the world, Uganda is now celebrating the birth of two mountain gorillas born in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The love affair between the environment and the wildlife in Uganda is yielding great fruit even as we the humans take in the cost of the lockdowns.

The Bakiga, one of the people who live near the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, say: “Abakundana baraara aharuhu rwakame” (those that love each other will lie down and fit on a rabbit skin). No matter how the #covid19 pandemic has disrupted our lives, there is still enough for us to celebrate – enough that even a small rabbit mat will do.

So, in this smallness of the world, wherever you are join us now and celebrate with the gorilla families of Muyambi and Nshongi the arrivals of two cute babies. There is enough room for us all to rejoice in this “birth-day” of the mountain gorillas.

The infant gorillas, may have been born between April 25 and 1 May 2020. The date mark on the photo shared by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, which manages the national parks, shows a date of 07 May 2020. Expert conservationists put the baby at just about a week or so old. The gender of the baby gorillas is yet to be established as they are very closely guarded by their family groups. Gorillas tend to be very aggressive when they get a baby.

Kabagyenyi, one of the new mothers, joined the Nshongi family from a wild group when she was a sub adult. At about 10 years, this is her first born baby gorilla. The proud and protective dad of the mountain gorilla baby is Bweza the silverback and head of Nshongi group. Nshongi was the first gorilla group to be habituated in Rushaga section of the Bwindi national park. The family is made up of 9 individuals and the infant brings the number to ten. The recent census of the endangered mountain gorillas put total number at 1,063 in the whole world. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has at least 459 gorillas in the wild.

That's wonderful!

How fabulous! Thank you for posting.

You are welcome!

wow! this is so cool!

(we are going to Uganda next summer!)

Thank you for this wonderful news. May their tribe increase.
I fondly remember my 2017 trip to Bwindi and followed the Habinyanga group ( hope I got the name right). Wonder how they are doing. The silverback is my DP. A ferocious big guy almost got me. Phew 😬

Yes we hope the tribe grows larger with this tourism break. You go the name correct - ok almost correct: Habinyanja. The group means from the many lakes. Must have migrated from the many lakes in the southwestern Uganda.
Silverbacks can be fearlessly protective. As much as possible, as advised by the guides, avoid eye contact (if you can). But again gorillas are wild animals and can be unpredictable

In much, much sadder news....

https://www.gorilladoctors.org/silve...ers-in-uganda/