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Mountain Gorilla

Gorilla beringei beringe

Description:

The rangers told me that earlier this year Mwirima, the Silverback who was the alpha male of this family group of gorillas, died. With the death of Mwirima, a blackback male has taken over control of the family. The rangers were watching to see if he would be challenged, but it seemed that he had been accepted. He wasn't so old, his back was just starting to show signs of silver. (see link for more about the family) This is the Rushegura Family Group, situated in the Buhoma region in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Photos of the family members. https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidbygot... http://www.bwindiforestnationalpark.com/... I think this might be Kalembezi.

Habitat:

Buhoma part of Bwindi Impenetrable Rainforest, SW Uganda

Notes:

The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla. One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The other is found in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is inhabited by a population of about 340 individual mountain gorillas, known as the Bwindi population, which makes up almost half of all the mountain gorillas in the world. Some primatologists consider the Bwindi population in Uganda may be a separate subspecies, though no description has been finished. As of November 2012, the estimated total number of mountain gorillas is around 880. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda on the rim of the Rift Valley. The hillsides which are mist-covered are sheltered by one of the ancient and very biologically varied rainforests in Uganda that dates back to more than 25,000 years, comprising of about 400 varied plant species. More notably, this “impenetrable forest” in addition protects an predictable 320 population of mountain gorillas – approximately half of the population in the world, among which are a number of habituated groups, that can be tracked by visitors. In addition to the endangered impressive mountain gorillas there are also 346 bird species and more than 200 butterfly species, about 324 species of trees, ten of which are only found in this areas in the whole of Uganda.

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49 Comments (1–25)

StephenSolomons
StephenSolomons 9 years ago

Beautiful creature!!!

pamsai
pamsai 9 years ago

Yes Hema, it does take a special person to work with thees beautiful animals... We nornal ones are just blessed to be able to spend time with them, though it would probably be better if they were left alone!

pamsai
pamsai 9 years ago

Yes, contemplative is what I was thinking... there is something quite soft and wise in those eyes.

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 9 years ago

;)
Beautiful creatures indeed.Lucky are those who can work with them.

SukanyaDatta
SukanyaDatta 9 years ago

Hmm....contemplative is correct! Lovely word and absolutely spot on. Hema. :)

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 9 years ago

Sukanya,now that you say it,they do look sad.......and contemplative.

SukanyaDatta
SukanyaDatta 9 years ago

Attributing human emotions to animals may be misleading... but sometimes animals seem to mirror emotions that I seem to recognize. I saw a documentary once where an elephant herd came across the skull of a dead matriarch of the group... the current leader of the herd picked it up and caressed it with her trunk...that visual has stayed with me.
My pet dog used to get upset when my mother used to go out...he used to bury himself in the saree she changed out of and had to be cajoled and made a fuss of when she returned :) Not saying the gorilla is sad...but his eyes seemed to me that way...if my eyes were like that they'd have been pools of sadness.

pamsai
pamsai 9 years ago

thanks Sukanya... Interesting that you thought he had mournful eyes....

SukanyaDatta
SukanyaDatta 9 years ago

Great story Pamsai...and when I looked closely at him...I felt he has such mournful eyes....

pamsai
pamsai 9 years ago

thanks Gilma...

pamsai
pamsai 9 years ago

thanks everyone for all your kind comments, and all the congratulations...

Congratulations on the SOTD, Pam, very well deserved.

pamsai
pamsai 9 years ago

armadeus 4, I really hope you get to visit with them some day. It's not cheap by any means, but really well worth the money. An experience one can't put a price on!

pamsai
pamsai 9 years ago

Hema, I sensed no hostility from any of them... Gentle giants!

Congrats again Pam on the very well deserved SOTD

James McNair
James McNair 9 years ago

Congrats! Much deserved

Dilan Chathuranga
Dilan Chathuranga 9 years ago

Congratulations on your SOTD Pam!Beautiful series!!

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 9 years ago

Pam,it seems to be a very gentle gaze! Do not sense any hostility.

armadeus.4
armadeus.4 9 years ago

Congratulations on your SOTD Pam!!!!! It looks like you had an amazing experience with this big guy. They are incredible creatures and I hope to one day see them in the wild...along with the 346 bird species :D Thank you very much for sharing your experience.

VivBraznell
VivBraznell 9 years ago

Wonderful series of pics .. congratulations on the SOTD. A well deserved subject .. lucky you

Neil Ross
Neil Ross 9 years ago

This makes me very happy, Pam. Congratulations on such a magnificent SOTD :-)

AliceGreenup
AliceGreenup 9 years ago

Beautiful shots Pam, and i can only imagine what an amazing experience that must have been!

pamsai
pamsai 9 years ago

Marta, I have photos of several of the group (these are the members names - http://www.bwindiforestnationalpark.com/...) and have decided to upload them all. So there will be more coming.

pamsai
pamsai 9 years ago

thanks Kathleen...

pamsai
pamsai 9 years ago

hehehe Hema, they were not as all fazed by us being there. There was communication, they looked directly at us (though I didn't notice a smile!) and at the same time just continued on doing what they were doing.

pamsai
Spotted by
pamsai

Kanungu, Uganda

Spotted on Jul 17, 2014
Submitted on Sep 8, 2014

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