| In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, lies | | | | gorilla groups up from 28 in 1997, with the |
| south-western Uganda about 530km from the | | | | numbers in each group varying between 3 and 28. |
| Capital (Kampala) and close to the borders of | | | | The several conservation groups found 11 lonely |
| Rwanda and DRC. One of the world's endangered | | | | solitary males, which don't yet have a family. |
| primates have started multiplying in Number in | | | | Mapesa said the analysis of the gorillas' different |
| some parts of their location. Bwindi is one of the | | | | age groups provides an optimistic picture of the |
| areas that the gorillas have increased in number, | | | | future of these gentle giants, whose endangered |
| adding from 300 to 340 gorillas after the | | | | conservation status has made them one of the |
| produced their babies. This was according to the | | | | world's most popular tourist attractions since the |
| census results carried out in the Bwindi | | | | 1990s. However Mapesa was quick to add that |
| impenetrable forest with the help of the authority | | | | there is some concern that regular contact with |
| and the locals. | | | | humans is limiting the number of females joining |
| An increase by 12% growth in numbers is a clear | | | | the habituated groups from the unhabituated |
| indication that the wildlife conservation programs | | | | groups. |
| being implemented in Bwindi Impenetrable National | | | | Of the 30 groups, five are habituated of which |
| Park the prime destination of bird watchers and | | | | four are utilized for tourism while one is used for |
| gorilla trekking. Of over a half a population of 700 | | | | research. The five habituated gorilla groups have a |
| gorillas in the world there are positive results to | | | | total number of 76 gorillas, constituting 23% of |
| this families to increase further, said the executive | | | | the total gorilla population in the park. Because of |
| director of Uganda wildlife Authority. | | | | the increase in the gorilla population and the |
| During the time of wars that almost ruined the | | | | continued health status, UWA has started a |
| east African Nations in the 1970's and 1980's, the | | | | habituation process for two more gorilla groups in |
| primate were being hunted for a meal and this | | | | Rushaga and Ruhija (in the Kabale area) as part of |
| almost extinguished the gorillas from their | | | | efforts to boost tourism revenue and satisfy the |
| locations in the three countries of Uganda, | | | | increasing public demand for gorilla tracking. |
| Rwanda and the DR Congo, however the | | | | Some of the groups that took part in the census |
| population of the gorillas today stands at 720 with | | | | of the Gorilla's were the Institute of Tropical |
| half the number in Uganda. However, between | | | | Forest Conservation, Wildlife Conservation |
| April and June 2006, a census of the gorillas was | | | | Society, UWA, Max Planck Institute for |
| carried Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and the | | | | Evolutionary Anthropology and others. |
| experts registered an increase of a total of 30 | | | | |