Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

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Summary

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• Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) are present in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
• The population size in the park is unknown; however, the site is part of the larger Virunga Massif, where a population size of 669 (CI: 623–759) individuals was estimated for 2016.
• The population trend is increasing.
• The site has a total size of 33.7 km².
• Key threats to gorillas are hunting and habitat encroachment due to farming activities.
• Conservation activities have focused on eco-tourism, demarcation and reinforcement of the park’s boundaries, education activities and patrols.

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  © I. Ordaz-Nemeth

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  © I. Ordaz-Nemeth

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  View from Mgahinga Gorilla National Park © I. Ordaz-Nemeth

Site characteristics

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the southwestern corner of Uganda, bordering Rwanda to the south and DRC to the west. The park derives its name from "Gahinga," a local term referring to the volcanic stones cleared from farmland at the base of the volcanoes. Originally declared a game sanctuary by the British administration in 1930, it was officially designated as a National Park in 1991 (Uganda Wildlife Authority).

The park is home to a single habituated transboundary gorilla group. Situated at altitudes ranging from 2,227m to 4,127m, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was established primarily to safeguard the mountain gorillas. It also serves as a critical habitat for the endangered golden monkey. In addition to its wildlife significance, the park holds immense cultural importance, particularly for the indigenous Batwa people (Uganda Wildlife Authority).

Mgahinga's most prominent features are its three conical, extinct volcanoes, a part of the breathtaking Virunga Range. As part of the larger Virunga Conservation Area, encompassing neighboring parks in these countries, the slopes of these volcanoes host diverse ecosystems and a rich array of biodiversity. Over 76 mammal species, including elephants, giant forest hogs, bush pigs, bushbucks, buffalos, and leopards are found in the site. The park also boasts a bird checklist of over 180 species, including 14 endemic to the Albertine Rift, notably the Kivu ground thrush and turaco (Uganda Wildlife Authority).

Table 1. Basic site information for Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Species	Gorilla beringei beringei
Area	33.7 km²
Coordinates	Lat: -1.370292 , Lon: 29.632708
Type of site	Protected area (National Park)
Habitat types	Subtropical/tropical moist montane forest
Type of governance

Types of sites Governance types Habitat types

Ape status

The exact number of individuals inhabiting the site is unknown. The park is part of the larger Virunga Massif, where the total population was estimated to be 669 (CI: 623–759) individuals in 2016. It was also estimated that the growth of the entire Virunga Massif population was 3.0% (CI: 2.5–3.4%) or 3.1% (1.4–4.3%) per year between 2010 and 2016 (Granjon et al. 2020).

Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Species	Year	Occurrence	Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day)	Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI)	Abundance estimate (95% CI)	Survey area	Sampling method	Analytical framework	Source	Comments	A.P.E.S. database ID
Gorilla beringei beringei						Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Gorilla beringei beringei	2016				669 (623-759)	Virunga Massif, including Mgahinga	Unknown		Granjon et al. 2020

Sampling methods Analytical frameworks

Threats

Before the establishment of the protected area, several human activities were impacting wildlife inhabiting the site, particularly livestock grazing, farming and hunting. In the course of 1992, all settlers left the deforested zone of the national park and most of these activities stopped. 221 farms were moved and the settlers received compensation payments (Karlowski 2004).

Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Category	Specific threats	Threat level	Description	Year of threat
1 Residential & commercial development	1.1 Residential areas	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Until 1992, people lived in what is now the protected area, where they farmed, logged and hunted (Karlowski 2004).	1992
10 Geological events	10.2 Earthquakes/tsunamis	Present (unknown severity)		Unknown
2 Agriculture & aquaculture	2.1.1 Shifting agriculture	High (more than 70% of population affected)	In 1992, the wheat fields inside the national park were harvested for the last time. After a year, the gorillas had extended their habitat to include about 80% of that area (Karlowski 2004).	1992
2 Agriculture & aquaculture	2.3 Livestock farming & ranching	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Livestock grazing in the site; settlers moved out along with 221 farms in 1992 (Karlowski 2004).	1989-1992
5 Biological resource use	5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Before conservation activities started, there was poaching in the area and hundreds of wire snares on paths to catch antelopes (Karlowski 2004).	1990
5 Biological resource use	5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	Low (up to 30% of population affected)	Unintentional effect on gorillas as snares are set targeting other animals in the forest (Hickeys et al. 2019).	2019-Ongoing (2024)
5 Biological resource use	5.1.1 Subsistence bushmeat hunting	Present (unknown severity)	Local people still consume bushmeat whenever they get a chance, as reported (Steven J.B pers. comm. 2026).	1990-Ongoing (2026)
5 Biological resource use	5.1.5 Persecution/human wildlife conflict	Present (unknown severity)	Human-wildlife conflicts arise due to crop raiding and the lack of compensation, as reported by local communities (Steven J.B pers. comm. 2026).	1990-Ongoing (2024)
5 Biological resource use	5.3 Logging & wood harvesting	Present (unknown severity)	Habitat loss due to firewood and bamboo harvesting (Twinomugisha & Chapman 2006).	2006-Ongoing (2024)
6 Human intrusions & disturbance	6.2 War, civil unrest & military exercises	Present (unknown severity)	During the civil war parts of Mgahinga National Park sometimes served as retreat areas for paramilitary units. Parts of the afro-alpine vegetation on the peaks of Mt. Gahinga and Muhavura were destroyed during the civil war (Karlowski 2004).	1990-1994
7 Natural system modifications	7.1 Fire & fire suppression	Low (up to 30% of population affected)	In 1989 and 2009, fire broke out along the slope of Mount Muhabura twice caused by human activities in the past and burned a large area from low to high elevation which include small portions of the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (Hoek et al. 2023; McNeilage 1995).	1989-Ongoing (2024)
8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	8.1 Invasive non-native/alien species	Low (up to 30% of population affected)	Black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) and Eucalyptus trees were found to be the most widely distributed and Pinus patula the least distributed species in the park.	1991-Ongoing (2024)
8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	8.4 Pathogens	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Risk of acquiring Covid-19 due to presence in the surrounding human population (Kungu et al. 2023). Evidence of human respiratory viruses, gastrointestinal parasites, and herpes viruses in the Virunga gorilla population exists. In addition, rabies, Ebola, and Marburg virus outbreaks occur in close proximity to the park (e.g. Mazet et al. 2020; Hassell et al. 2017; Smiley Evans et al. 2017; Petrzlkova et al. 2021, 2022).	2017-Ongoing (2026)

Threats

Conservation activities

In December 1989, a conservation initiative focusing on gorillas and nature was initiated in the site. Biologist Klaus-Jürgen Sucker spearheaded the development of this project, receiving support from organizations such as the German Society for the Protection of Animals (Deutscher Tierschutzbund), the Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe, and subsequently, from the Center for International Migration (CIM) (Karlowski 2004).

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was gazetted in 1991; the park’s infrastructure was established in 1993. This included relocating the guard post to the park's new boundary and demarcating the northern boundary with 180 cement cairns spread across 14 kilometers. While these cairns clearly defined the boundary, they left adjacent fields vulnerable to grazing by wildlife. To address this issue, a hedge of Erythrina abyssinica was planted along the park's boundary (Karlowski 2004).

More recently, approximately 38,100 Erythrina trees were planted along the stone wall in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, spanning a distance of 12.7 kilometers from the Rwanda border to points along the border with DRC. This effort, led by IGCP’s Water4Virungas project in partnership with local communities and the Uganda Wildlife Authority, aimed to mitigate conflicts caused by problem animals such as buffalos. The project sought to enhance park-community relations while reducing crop raids (Nakayima 2021).

Eco-tourism was inaugurated in August 1993, initially offering activities such as mountain trekking, cave exploration, and hiking along nature trails. The range of tourist activities expanded in 1994, with the introduction of visits to the Nyakagezi group, a gorilla population known for migrating between the Ugandan and Congolese sectors of the Virunga Conservation Area (Karlowski 2004).

Even before official gorilla tourism commenced in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, a revenue-sharing system was established for communities residing near the park. Under this system, 20% of the income generated from park entrance fees was earmarked for community projects, such as the construction of schools or storage facilities. This approach has since become a fundamental aspect of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) policies for all reserves across the country (Karlowski 2004).

Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Category	Specific activity	Description	Implementing organization(s)	Year of activity
1 Development impact mitigation	1.3 Prohibit (livestock) farmers from entering protected areas	Several farms were moved out of the park after its establishment, allowing for the regeneration of vegetation (Karlowski 2004).		1992-Ongoing (2024)
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.11 Implement monitoring surveillance strategies (e.g., SMART) or use monitoring data to improve effectiveness of patrols	Ranger patrol teams are equipped with SMART installed on Android devices	Uganda Wildlife Authority, International Gorilla Conservation Programme	2023-Ongoing (2024)
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.13 Provide sustainable alternative livelihoods; establish fish- or domestic meat farms	IGCP worked with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to develop a revenue sharing program and policy and established mechanisms for its application around Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Managed by committees including local community representatives and UWA officials, the scheme is used to fund projects for the benefit of communities living alongside the gorilla habitat. Training has been provided in ecotourism and tourist-based enterprise development in conjunction with the Uganda Community Tourism Association.	Uganda Wildlife Authority, International Gorilla Conservation Programme	1995-Ongoing (2024)
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.3 Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols	Rangers conduct patrols (Karlowski 2004).	Uganda Wildlife Authority	1989-Ongoing (2024)
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.6 Regularly de-activate/remove ground snares	Rangers conduct patrols and remove snares	Uganda Wildlife Authority	1989-Ongoing (2024)
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.7 Provide better equipment (e.g., guns) to anti-poaching ranger patrols	Ranger patrol teams include one person with a gun and the team is equipped with SMART installed on Android devices	Uganda Wildlife Authority, International Gorilla Conservation Programme	2023-Ongoing (2024)
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.8 Provide training to anti-poaching ranger patrols	Ranger teams receive training programs (e.g. usage of SMART)	Uganda Wildlife Authority, International Gorilla Conservation Programme	Ongoing (2024)
3 Species health	3.1 Wear face-masks to avoid transmission of viral and bacterial diseases to primates	Facial masks were implemented when COVID-19 pandemic broke out and has been since maintained.	Uganda Wildlife Authority, Gorilla Doctors	2020-Ongoing (2024)
3 Species health	3.11 Implement continuous health monitoring/permanent vet on site	The health of habituated gorillas are daily monitored by field teams and sick/injured gorillas are treated after being assessed.	Uganda Wildlife Authority, Gorilla Doctors	Ongoing (2024)
3 Species health	3.12 Detect & report dead apes and clinically determine their cause of death to avoid disease transmission	Demographic changes such as deaths (or missing gorillas which may indicate death) are reported through daily monitoring of habituated gorilla groups. Encounters of dead gorillas outside groups are also reported. All dead gorillas are removed from the forest for necropsy if possible.	Uganda Wildlife Authority, Gorilla Doctors	Ongoing (2024)
3 Species health	3.13 Implement a health programme for local communities	In the Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area, IGCP is collaborating with One Health partners from both conservation and community health organizations with the aim of attaining optimal health for people, animals and the environment. IGCP also supports health monitoring around the parks. Health monitoring helps to minimize the risk of transmitting diseases to the gorilla groups.	International Gorilla Conservation Programme	Ongoing (2024)
3 Species health	3.2 Keep safety distance to habituated apes	Strict regulation for gorilla visits exists and include a limit of a 1-hour stay for tourists	Uganda Wildlife Authority, Gorilla Doctors	Ongoing (2024)
4 Education & awareness	4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use	Education programs promoting biodiversity and gorilla conservation targeting school children and villages around the park have been implemented.	International Gorilla Conservation Programme, World Wildlife Fund	Ongoing (2024)
4 Education & awareness	4.5 Implement multimedia campaigns using theatre, film, print media, discussions	Printing of a childrens' book about gorillas for schools around the park (Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe).		2005
5 Protection & restoration	5.2 Legally protect ape habitat	The site is classified as a National Park.	Uganda Wildlife Authority	1991-Ongoing (2026)
5 Protection & restoration	5.5 Demarcate and enforce boundaries of protected areas	Planting of Erythrina trees to enforce boundaries and reduce crop raiding by wildlife (Nakayima 2021, Karlowski 2004). The stone wall around the park, built in 2024, is credited for stopping animals (buffalo, baboons, gorillas, etc.) from crossing into local gardens/farms, and it has proven effective and efficient in reducing conflict and interaction between people and wildlife (Steven J.B pers. comm. 2026).	Uganda Wildlife Authority, International Gorilla Conservation Programme	1993, 2024-Ongoing (2026)
5 Protection & restoration	5.6 Habitat restoration	Before gazetting in 1991, large parts of the park had been agricultural land for well over 50 years. Since 1992, the old cropland has been left to naturally regenerate (Lejju et al., 2001).	Uganda Wildlife Authority	1992
6 Species management	6.1 Habituate primates to human presence to reduce stress from tourists/researchers	Tourists can visit the Nyakagezi group (Karlowski 2004).	Uganda Wildlife Authority	1994-Ongoing (2024)
6 Species management	6.2 Guard habituated ape groups to ensure their safety/well-being	Gorillas that were habituated for tourism are safe-guarded for several hours by rangers.	Uganda Wildlife Authority	1994-Ongoing (2024)
7 Economic & other incentives	7.1 Provide monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g., REDD, alternative income, employment)	Recently, 40 community members participated in both the Erythrina planting and the renovation of the stone wall delineating part of the park’s border. Community members were paid for their participation (Nakayima 2021).		2021
7 Economic & other incentives	7.2 Provide non-monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g., better education, infrastructure development)	UWA shares 20% of its annual park revenue with the people surrounding our national parks and wildlife reserves; revenue sharing was implemented in 1995 (Archabald & Naughton-Treves 2001).	UWA	2015-Ongoing (2024)
8 Permanent presence	8.2 Run tourist projects and ensure permanent human presence at site	Eco-tourism was introduced in 1993 (Karlowski 2004).		1993-Ongoing (2024)

Conservation activities

Challenges

One of the major challenges reported concerns the Batwa community that previously lived within the park. While in Bwindi many of those evicted were resettled just outside the park and have integrated with surrounding communities through empowerment groups, the situation in Kisoro and Mgahinga is starkly different. Here, the Batwa were never resettled in any recognizable way. According to the District Health Education Officer, many of them are still struggling to integrate with other local communities and continue to live in poor conditions (Steven J.B pers. comm. 2026).

Table 5. Challenges reported for Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Challenges	Specific challenges	Source	Year(s)
1 Site management	1.4 Conflict on land tenure	Wild & Muteb, 1996	1991
3 Engaged community	3.1 General lack of community engagement or support	Steven J.B pers. comm. 2026	Ongoing (2026)
4 Institutional support	4.4 Lack of transboundary cooperation	Unesco, 2023	2011-Ongoing (2024)
6 Safety and stability	6.1 Political/economic instability	Unesco, 2023	2011-Ongoing (2024)

Challenges

Enablers

Table 6. Enablers reported for Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Enablers	Specific enablers	Source	Year(s)
1 Site management	1.3 Adaptive management practices	Karlowski 2004	1989-Ongoing (2024)
2 Resources and capacity	2.3 Continuous/long-term funding	Robbins et al. 2011	1992-Ongoing (2024)
2 Resources and capacity	2.4 Adequate data to inform and evaluate conservation actions		Ongoing (2011)
2 Resources and capacity	2.6 External partnerships that add expertise or resources	Robbins et al. 2011	Ongoing (2011)

Enablers

Documented behaviours

Table 7. Behaviours documented for Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Category	Behavior	Observation type	Prevalence	Observation dates	Source	Habituation	Species	Comment
	Not reported

Behaviours

External links

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

References

Granjon, A. C., Robbins, M. M., Arinaitwe, J., Cranfield, M. R., Eckardt, W., Mburanumwe, I., ... & Hickey, J. R. (2020). Estimating abundance and growth rates in a wild mountain gorilla population. Animal Conservation, 23(4), 455-465.

Karlowski, U. (2004). Ten Years of Gorilla Tourism in Mgahinga. Gorilla Journal, 28, 6-8.

Kungu, J. M., Neumbe, J., Kiganira, D. B., Tino, P., Namayanja, J., Kassuja, R., ... & Nizeyi, J. B. (2023). Prevalence and predisposing factors of covid-19 in Bwindi-Mgahinga mountain gorilla conservation area landscape, Uganda.

Nakayima, L. (2021). Strengthened Human– Wildlife Conflict Measures Restore Hope in the Virungas. Gorilla Journal, 62, 11-12.

Twinomugisha, D. & Chapman, C.A. (2006) Notes and records. African Journal of Ecology, 2, 220–224.

Archabald, K. & Naughton, L. (2001). Tourism revenue-sharing around national parks in Western Uganda: early efforts to identify and reward local communities. Environmental Conservation, 28(2), 135-149.

Babaase, D., Akampulira, E. & Bitariho, E. (2013). Human-wildlife conflict management: Experiences and lessons learned from the Greater Virunga Landscape. Report, February 2013.

Hickey, J. R., Granjon, A. C., Vigilant, L., Eckardt, W., Gilardi, K. V., Cranfield, M., Musana, A., Masozera, A. B., Babaasa, D., Ruzigandekwe, F., & Robbins, M. M. (2019). Virunga 2015-2016 surveys - monitoring mountain gorillas, other select mammals, and illegal activities.

Lejju, J.B., Oryem-Origa, H., & Kasenene, J. M. (2001). Regeneration of indigenous trees in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda. Afr. J. Ecol., 39, 65-73.

Sabuhoro, E., Ayorekire, J., & Munanura, I. E. (2023). The Quality of Life and Perceived Human-Wildlife Conflicts among Forest Communities around the Mountain Gorilla’s Virunga Landscape in Africa. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032248

Page created by: APES Atlas Team Date: 2024-02-28