KAMPALA: A new family of mountain gorillas, one of the world’s most endangered species, is ready for interaction with tourists, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) said on Friday.

“There is a new group of 13 members that has been habituated,” UWA spokeswoman Lillian Nsubuga said.

Wildlife experts began habituating the family, headed by a silverback named Nduhura, in October 2006 when one of the already habituated families in Uganda showed signs of moving into the bordering Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Nduhura’s family completed its two-year habituation process, designed to gradually allow them to become used to a limited human presence, the day the other group crossed the border. “The timing was really perfect,” Nsubuga said.

The endangered primates draw foreign visitors to Uganda’s Impenetrable Forest at a cost of $500 per visit and are a cornerstone of Uganda’s renascent tourism industry.

There are around 350 mountain gorillas currently living in Uganda, half of the world’s population. The remaining half is found in the Virunga park which straddles the DRC and Rwanda.

“The population in Uganda is stable and can even increase,” Nsubuga added.—AFP

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...