Difference between revisions of "Bwindi Impenetrable National Park"

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<!-- INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING SITE INFORMATION
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<!-- INSTRUCTIONS FOR UPLOADING SITE INFORMATION
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- Wiki pages contain information in paragraphs, tables, lists, and images.
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- Please consider whether any information you would like to add is sensitive and could be misused to harm apes. Please do not add such information. If unsure, you can contact the Wiki manager (contact details on start page) for clarification.
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   2) List format should not change, i.e. they are comma separated lists, not bullet points or numbered lists.  
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- Tables and keyword lists are extracted as data, and so have the following restrictions:
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   3) To make information comparable across wiki pages, keywords must be taken from the list of permitted words, or added to the list of permitted keywords. This is why we use official lists, e.g., IUCN classification lists, in our tables.
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   1) Table structure cannot be changed
 
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   2) Keyword format should not change, i.e. they are comma separated lists, not bullet points or numbered lists.  
 
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   3) Keywords must be taken from the list of permitted words, or added to the list of permitted keywords. A link to the keyword list page is found adjacent
 
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    to the relevant table or keyword list. This ensures that the same keyword always refers to the same concept, e.g. Everybody uses "Industrial mining",  
 
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    rather than several keywords such as "Industrial mining", "Large-scale mining", and "Mining".  
 
 
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[[East Africa]] > [[Uganda]] > [[Bwindi Impenetrable National Park]]
  
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[[Region]] > [[Country]] > [[Site]]
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= Summary = <!-- An overview of the site, with one sentence for each section. May include a site map -->
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<div style="float: right">
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= Summary = <!-- An overview of the site, with a one sentence overview of each of the following sections. can include a site map -->
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{{#display_map: height=200px | width=300px | scrollzoom=off | zoom=5 | layers= OpenStreetMap, OpenTopoMap
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| -1.017254, 29.671192~[[Bwindi Impenetrable National Park]]~Eastern chimpanzees & Mountain gorillas
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* Ape taxa present  
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}}
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* Ape population size
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</div>
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* Ape population trend  
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* Eastern chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii'') & mountain gorillas (''Gorilla beringei beringei'') are present in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
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* This site has a total size of XX km².
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* It has been estimated that 459 gorillas occur in the site; the chimpanzee population size is unknown.
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* Key threats to apes are ...
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* The gorilla population trend is increasing.
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* Additional information
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* The site has a total size of 321 km².
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* Key threats to great apes are linked to high human presence, which poses some risk of disturbance and disease transmission.
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* Conservation activities have focused on ecotourism programs and regularly monitoring the health of habituated gorillas.
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= Site characteristics =  
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* The park is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
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<div><ul>
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<li style="display: inline-block; vertical-align: top;"> [[File: Bwindi_juvenile_Dirck_Byler.jpg | 300px | thumb| right | Mountain gorilla infant © Dirck Byler]] </li>
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This section includes a paragraph summary of physical and geographic aspects of the site, a brief history of the site and on animals and plants that are known to occur at the site.
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<li style="display: inline-block; vertical-align: top;"> [[File: Bwindi_Mtgorilla_stem_Dirck_Byler.jpg | 300px | thumb| right |Mountain gorilla © Dirck Byler]] </li>
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<li style="display: inline-block; vertical-align: top;"> [[File: BwindiMt_gorilla_Dirck_Byler.jpg | 300px | thumb| right |Mountain gorilla © Dirck Byler]] </li>
 +
</ul></div>
 +
= Site characteristics = <!-- A paragraph summary of physical and geographic aspects of the site, and a table of key information -->
  
 +
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda, on the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley. The area is one of Uganda's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, which dates back over 25,000 years ([https://www.ugandawildlife.org/explore-our-parks/parks-by-name-a-z/bwindi-impenetrable-national-park Uganda Wildlife Authority]). Encompassing a series of steep ridges and valleys, Bwindi is the source of five major rivers, which flow into Lake Edward. The park is famous for being home to almost half of the world's mountain gorilla population ([https://www.ugandawildlife.org/explore-our-parks/parks-by-name-a-z/bwindi-impenetrable-national-park Uganda Wildlife Authority]). The site is a designated Important Bird Area, with 347 bird species documented in the forest, including 23 endemic species to the Albertine Rift (BirdLife International 2020). Bwindi was gazetted as a National Park in 1991 and declared a ([https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/682/ UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site]) in 1994.
  
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'''Table 1: Basic site information for XXXX'''
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'''Table 1. Basic site information for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park'''
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="basic-information"
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="basic-information"
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| Area             <!-- Please include units: km2/ha e.g 200ha   -->
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| Area <!-- Please include units: km2/ha e.g 200ha -->
−
|
+
|321 km²
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Coordinates
+
|Coordinates
−
|
+
| -1.017254, 29.671192
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Designation     <!-- National Park, Nature Reserve, etc.  -->
+
|Designation
−
|
+
|National Park
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Habitat types   <!-- List IUCN Habitat Classification 3.0 categories present (Without number), see link below -->
+
|Habitat types <!-- List IUCN Habitat Classification 3.0 categories present (without number), see link below -->
−
|
+
|Subtropical/tropical montane forest, subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest
 
|}
 
|}
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[http://www.unitar.org/hiroshima/sites/unitar.org.hiroshima/files/Annex%201%20-%20IUCN%20Classification%20Schemes.pdf IUCN habitat categories]   [[Site designations]]
+
[https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/habitat-classification-scheme IUCN habitat categories] [[Site designations]]
−
<br>
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
= Ape status =  <!-- a text overview of ape status (population sizes, trends etc), followed by a table of specific surveys and results -->
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
  
−
This section includes a brief summary of the survey history, the most recent abundance estimate, date of the estimate, and, if available, the population trend (if explicitely stated in a report/paper).
+
= Ape status = <!--An overview of ape population status (population sizes, trends, etc.), followed by a table of specific surveys and results -->
  
 +
The park is home to one of the two subpopulations of mountain gorillas in the world, the Bwindi-Sarambwe subpopulation (Hickey et al. 2018). Increases in both the Virunga Massif and the Bwindi-Sarambwe subpopulations led to a change in the IUCN Red List classification from Critically Endangered to Endangered in 2018 (Hickey et al. 2018). In spite of this increase, the overall population size is still small.
  
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'''Table 2. Ape population estimates in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park'''
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'''Table 2: Ape population estimates in XXXX'''
 
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="population-estimate-table"
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="population-estimate-table"
 
! Species
 
! Species
 
! Year
 
! Year
−
! Abundance estimate (95% confidence interval)
+
! Abundance estimate (95% CI)
−
! Density estimate (per km²)
+
! Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI)
 
! Encounter rate (nests/km)
 
! Encounter rate (nests/km)
 
! Area
 
! Area
Line 72: Line 64:
 
! A.P.E.S. database ID
 
! A.P.E.S. database ID
 
|-
 
|-
 +
|''Gorilla beringei beringei''
 +
|1997
 +
|292
 +
|
 
|
 
|
 +
|Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
 +
|Index survey (reconnaissance walk)
 +
|McNeilage et al. 2001
 +
|Sweep method, with high density of reconnaissance trails covering the forest.
 
|
 
|
 +
|-
 +
|''Gorilla beringei beringei''
 +
|2002
 +
|320
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 +
|Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
 +
|Index survey (reconnaissance walk)
 +
|McNeilage et al. 2006
 +
|Sweep method, with high density of reconnaissance trails covering the forest.
 
|
 
|
 +
|-
 +
|''Gorilla beringei beringei''
 +
|2011
 +
|400
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 +
|Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
 +
|Genetic capture-recapture
 +
|Roy et al. 2014
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 +
|-
 +
|''Gorilla beringei beringei''
 +
|2018
 +
|459
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|Bwindi-Sarambwe ecosystem
 +
|Index survey (reconnaissance walk)
 +
|Hickey et al. 2018
 +
|Sweep method, with high density of reconnaissance trails covering the forest.
 
|
 
|
 
|}
 
|}
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= Threats =    <!-- a text overview of threats, followed by a table of key threats -->
 
= Threats =    <!-- a text overview of threats, followed by a table of key threats -->
  
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+
'''Table 3. Threats to apes in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park'''
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This sections describes threats at the site, particularly those relevant for apes and thereby provides context for the threats listed in the table below.
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
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'''Table 3: Threats to apes in XXXX'''
 
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="threats-table"
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="threats-table"
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!align="left"|Category <!-- Do not change threat categories -->
+
!align="left"|Category <!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE THREAT CATEGORIES -->
−
!Specific threats   <!-- For specific threats, please use list of comma separated keywords from the list linked below -->
+
!Specific threats <!-- For specific threats, please use list of comma separated keywords from the IUCN list linked below -->
−
!Threat level       <!-- For threat level, please use keywords: unknown, low, high -->
+
!Threat level <!-- For threat level, please use keywords: low, medium, high, present, absent, unknown-->
−
!Quantified severity <!-- e.g., encounter rate, number of miners etc. (with reference)-->
+
!Quantified severity <!-- Enter any available quantification of the threat, e.g., the proportion of the area affected by the threat, hunting sign encounter rates-->
−
!Description         <!-- You can add descriptive information here -->
+
!Description <!-- Add descriptive information -->
−
!Year of threat     <!-- if ongoing or unknown add year of reference in brackets-->
+
!Year of threat <!-- Enter specific year(s), “ongoing”, or “unknown”. If the threat is ongoing, please add the year of reference in parentheses -->
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1. Residential & commercial development
 
|1. Residential & commercial development
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Absent
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
Line 108: Line 129:
 
|2. Agriculture & aquaculture
 
|2. Agriculture & aquaculture
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Absent
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
Line 115: Line 136:
 
|3. Energy production & mining
 
|3. Energy production & mining
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Absent
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
Line 122: Line 143:
 
|4. Transportation & service corridors
 
|4. Transportation & service corridors
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Absent
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
Line 128: Line 149:
 
|-
 
|-
 
|5. Biological resource use
 
|5. Biological resource use
 +
|5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals
 +
|Low
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Poaching as a non-target species; e.g., as a result of infant gorilla trafficking, snares are set up for other animals. Retaliatory killings are rare. Habituated gorillas are more vulnerable to poachers (Hickey et al. 2018).
−
|
+
|Ongoing (2018)
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|6. Human intrusions & disturbance
+
|6. Human intrusion & disturbance
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|
 
|
 +
|Present, but threat severity is unknown
 
|
 
|
 +
|Human presence due to tourism, conservation and scientific work, camps for security forces, etc., all of which pose some risk of disturbance and disease transmission (Hickey et al. 2018).
 +
|Ongoing (2018)
 
|-
 
|-
 
|7. Natural system modifications
 
|7. Natural system modifications
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Absent
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
Line 150: Line 171:
 
|8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases
 
|8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases
 
|
 
|
 +
|High
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Vulnerability to human pathogens, and outbreaks of respiratory virus diseases and gastrointestinal parasite infections (Hickey et al. 2018).
−
|
+
|Ongoing (2018)
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|9. Pollution
 
|9. Pollution
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Absent
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
Line 164: Line 185:
 
|10. Geological Events
 
|10. Geological Events
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Absent
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
|11. Climate change & severe weather
+
| 11. Climate change & severe weather
−
|
+
|11.1 Habitat shifting & alteration
−
|
+
|Present, but threat severity is unknown
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|
 
|
 +
|Increased temperatures and modified rainfall patterns likely to cause changes in food availability and habitat quality (Hickey et al. 2018).
 +
|Ongoing (2018)
 
|-
 
|-
 
|12. Other options
 
|12. Other options
 +
|12.1 Other threat
 +
|Present, but threat severity is unknown
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Bwindi gorillas appear to crop-raid because of the availability of palatable foods at the edge of the park, not due to a lack of dietary items in the park (Hickey et al. 2018).
−
|
+
|Ongoing (2018)
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 
[https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/threat-classification-scheme IUCN Threats list]
 
[https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/threat-classification-scheme IUCN Threats list]
  
 +
= Conservation activities =      <!-- A summary of the conservation activities, followed by a table of key activities -->
  
 +
The site is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The management of the site has developed ecotourism programs that support the livelihoods of local communities ([https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/682/ UNESCO]). Nine groups have been habituated for tourism; the first one was the Mubare gorilla group, since 1993. [https://ctph.org/gorilla-conservation-program/ Conservation Through Public Health] work on reducing human-gorilla conflicts in and around the park, and avoiding the transmission of diseases.
  
−
= Conservation activities =      <!-- a text overview of conservation activities, followed by a table of key activities -->
+
'''Table 4. Conservation activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park'''
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
This sections describes conservation interventions implemented at the site, including information on which organizations are implementing them and thereby provides context for the conservation activities listed in the table below.
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
'''Table 4: Conservation activities in XXXX'''
 
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="conservation-actions-table"
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="conservation-actions-table"
−
!align="left"|Category <!-- Do not change threat categories -->
+
!align="left"|Category <!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE CATEGORIES -->
−
!Specific activity   <!-- For specific threats, please use list of comma separated keywords from the list linked below -->
+
!Specific activity <!-- For specific threats, please use list from the list linked below, OR enter “Not reported” -->
−
!Description         <!-- You can add descriptive information here -->
+
!Description <!-- Add descriptive information -->
−
!Year of activity         <!-- if ongoing or unknown add year of reference in brackets -->
+
!Year of activity <!-- Add descriptive information -->
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1. Residential & commercial development
 
|1. Residential & commercial development
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|2. Agriculture & aquaculture
 
|2. Agriculture & aquaculture
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|3. Energy production & mining
 
|3. Energy production & mining
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|4. Transportation & service corridors
 
|4. Transportation & service corridors
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|5. Biological resource use
 
|5. Biological resource use
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
|6. Human intrusions & disturbance
+
|6. Human intrusion & disturbance
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|7. Natural system modifications
 
|7. Natural system modifications
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases
 
|8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|9. Pollution
 
|9. Pollution
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|10. Education & Awareness  
 
|10. Education & Awareness  
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|11. Habitat Protection
 
|11. Habitat Protection
−
|
+
|11.2. Legally protect primate habitat
−
|
+
|The site was declared a National Park in 1991.
−
|
+
|Ongoing
 
|-
 
|-
 
|12. Species Management
 
|12. Species Management
−
|
+
|12.3. Guard habituated primate groups to ensure their safety/well-being
−
|
+
|The ([https://www.gorilladoctors.org/about-us/where-we-work/ Gorilla Doctors]) who work at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park regularly monitor the health of habituated gorillas.
−
|
+
|Ongoing
 
|-
 
|-
 
|13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives  
 
|13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives  
 +
|13.4. Run tourist projects and ensure permanent human presence at site
 
|
 
|
−
|
+
|Ongoing
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 
[[Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)]]
 
[[Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)]]
  
 +
= Challenges = <!-- Overview of challenges in ape conservation -->
  
−
 
+
'''Table 5. Challenges reported for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park'''
−
= Impediments = <!-- Overview of impediments to ape conservation -->
+
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="challenges-table"
−
 
+
!align="left"|Challenge <!-- Do not change categories -->
−
 
+
!Source <!-- Source for challenge mentioned -->
−
Description of impediments that may hamper conservation activities.
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
'''Table 5: Impediments reported for XXXX'''
 
−
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="impediments-table"
 
−
!align="left"|Impediment  <!-- Do not change categories -->
 
−
!Source   <!-- source for impediment mentioned -->
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
−
 
−
 
  
 
= Research activities = <!-- Overview of research activities -->
 
= Research activities = <!-- Overview of research activities -->
  
−
 
+
[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320708004175 Counting elusive animals: Comparing field and genetic census of the entire mountain gorilla population of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda] <br>
−
Short description of past and ongoing research activities at the site.
+
[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/B:IJOP.0000043351.20129.44 Dietary Variability of Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda] <br>
−
 
+
[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320709003139 Population dynamics of the Bwindi mountain gorillas] <br>
 +
[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1024689008159 Behavioral Ecology of Sympatric Chimpanzees and Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda: Diet] <br>
 +
[https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ajp.20539?casa_token=mxACZkqVXJMAAAAA:Po9D13Yk0RUvIc7Pmr_2hYFj3M_jNe1q062O-HpsOef6NB1tm1ML_ngZJGckxIqgzXN8GmDSSAXhQ1A9 Sleeping tree choice by Bwindi chimpanzees] <br>
  
 
===Documented behaviours===  <!-- List of any behaviours observed at the site, including citations -->
 
===Documented behaviours===  <!-- List of any behaviours observed at the site, including citations -->
  
−
'''Table 6: Ape behaviors reported for XXXX'''
+
'''Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park'''
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="behaviors-table"
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="behaviors-table"
−
!align="left"|Behavior <!-- Do not change categories -->
+
!align="left"|Behavior
−
!Source   <!-- source for behavior -->
+
!Source
 
|-
 
|-
−
|
+
|Not reported
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 +
=External links=
 +
[https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/682/ UNESCO Bwindi Impenetrable National Park]<br>
 +
[https://www.ugandawildlife.org/explore-our-parks/parks-by-name-a-z/bwindi-impenetrable-national-park Uganda Wildlife Authority]<br>
 +
[https://www.bwindiforestnationalpark.com/ Bwindi Forest National Park in Uganda]<br>
  
 
===Relevant datasets===
 
===Relevant datasets===
 
[http://apesportal.eva.mpg.de/database/archiveMap A.P.E.S Portal]
 
[http://apesportal.eva.mpg.de/database/archiveMap A.P.E.S Portal]
−
 
−
<br>
 
−
 
  
 
= References =
 
= References =
−
 
+
BirdLife International. (2020). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/12/2020. <br>
 +
Hickey, J.R., Basabose, A., Gilardi, K.V., Greer, D., Nampindo, S., Robbins, M.M. & Stoinski, T.S. (2018). Gorilla beringei ssp. beringei. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T39999A17989719. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T39999A17989719.en <br>
 +
Roy, J., Vigilant, L., Gray, M., Wright, E., Kato, R., Kabano, P., Basabose, A., Tibenda, E., Kühl, H.S. and Robbins, M.M. (2014). Challenges in the use of genetic mark-recapture to estimate the population size of Bwindi mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). Biological Conservation 180: 249–261 <br>
 +
McNeilage, A., Plumptre, A. J., Brock-Doyle, A., & Vedder, A. (2001). Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda: Gorilla census 1997. Oryx, 35(1), 39-47. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3008.2001.00154.x <br>
 +
McNeilage, A., Robbins, M. M., Gray, M., Olupot, W., Babaasa, D., Bitariho, R., Kasangaki, A., Rainer, H., Asuma, S., Mugiri, G., & Baker, J. (2006). Census of the mountain gorilla Gorilla beringei beringei population in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Oryx, 40(4), 419-427. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605306001311 <br>
  
 
<br>
 
<br>
−
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Latest revision as of 15:17, 18 November 2024

East Africa > Uganda > Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Summary

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  • Eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) & mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) are present in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
  • It has been estimated that 459 gorillas occur in the site; the chimpanzee population size is unknown.
  • The gorilla population trend is increasing.
  • The site has a total size of 321 km².
  • Key threats to great apes are linked to high human presence, which poses some risk of disturbance and disease transmission.
  • Conservation activities have focused on ecotourism programs and regularly monitoring the health of habituated gorillas.
  • The park is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
  • Mountain gorilla infant © Dirck Byler
  • Mountain gorilla © Dirck Byler
  • Mountain gorilla © Dirck Byler

Site characteristics

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda, on the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley. The area is one of Uganda's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, which dates back over 25,000 years (Uganda Wildlife Authority). Encompassing a series of steep ridges and valleys, Bwindi is the source of five major rivers, which flow into Lake Edward. The park is famous for being home to almost half of the world's mountain gorilla population (Uganda Wildlife Authority). The site is a designated Important Bird Area, with 347 bird species documented in the forest, including 23 endemic species to the Albertine Rift (BirdLife International 2020). Bwindi was gazetted as a National Park in 1991 and declared a (UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site) in 1994.

Table 1. Basic site information for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Area 321 km²
Coordinates -1.017254, 29.671192
Designation National Park
Habitat types Subtropical/tropical montane forest, subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest

IUCN habitat categories Site designations

Ape status

The park is home to one of the two subpopulations of mountain gorillas in the world, the Bwindi-Sarambwe subpopulation (Hickey et al. 2018). Increases in both the Virunga Massif and the Bwindi-Sarambwe subpopulations led to a change in the IUCN Red List classification from Critically Endangered to Endangered in 2018 (Hickey et al. 2018). In spite of this increase, the overall population size is still small.

Table 2. Ape population estimates in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Species Year Abundance estimate (95% CI) Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) Encounter rate (nests/km) Area Method Source Comments A.P.E.S. database ID
Gorilla beringei beringei 1997 292 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Index survey (reconnaissance walk) McNeilage et al. 2001 Sweep method, with high density of reconnaissance trails covering the forest.
Gorilla beringei beringei 2002 320 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Index survey (reconnaissance walk) McNeilage et al. 2006 Sweep method, with high density of reconnaissance trails covering the forest.
Gorilla beringei beringei 2011 400 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Genetic capture-recapture Roy et al. 2014
Gorilla beringei beringei 2018 459 Bwindi-Sarambwe ecosystem Index survey (reconnaissance walk) Hickey et al. 2018 Sweep method, with high density of reconnaissance trails covering the forest.

Threats

Table 3. Threats to apes in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Category Specific threats Threat level Quantified severity Description Year of threat
1. Residential & commercial development Absent
2. Agriculture & aquaculture Absent
3. Energy production & mining Absent
4. Transportation & service corridors Absent
5. Biological resource use 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals Low Poaching as a non-target species; e.g., as a result of infant gorilla trafficking, snares are set up for other animals. Retaliatory killings are rare. Habituated gorillas are more vulnerable to poachers (Hickey et al. 2018). Ongoing (2018)
6. Human intrusion & disturbance Present, but threat severity is unknown Human presence due to tourism, conservation and scientific work, camps for security forces, etc., all of which pose some risk of disturbance and disease transmission (Hickey et al. 2018). Ongoing (2018)
7. Natural system modifications Absent
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases High Vulnerability to human pathogens, and outbreaks of respiratory virus diseases and gastrointestinal parasite infections (Hickey et al. 2018). Ongoing (2018)
9. Pollution Absent
10. Geological Events Absent
11. Climate change & severe weather 11.1 Habitat shifting & alteration Present, but threat severity is unknown Increased temperatures and modified rainfall patterns likely to cause changes in food availability and habitat quality (Hickey et al. 2018). Ongoing (2018)
12. Other options 12.1 Other threat Present, but threat severity is unknown Bwindi gorillas appear to crop-raid because of the availability of palatable foods at the edge of the park, not due to a lack of dietary items in the park (Hickey et al. 2018). Ongoing (2018)

IUCN Threats list

Conservation activities

The site is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The management of the site has developed ecotourism programs that support the livelihoods of local communities (UNESCO). Nine groups have been habituated for tourism; the first one was the Mubare gorilla group, since 1993. Conservation Through Public Health work on reducing human-gorilla conflicts in and around the park, and avoiding the transmission of diseases.

Table 4. Conservation activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Category Specific activity Description Year of activity
1. Residential & commercial development Not reported
2. Agriculture & aquaculture Not reported
3. Energy production & mining Not reported
4. Transportation & service corridors Not reported
5. Biological resource use Not reported
6. Human intrusion & disturbance Not reported
7. Natural system modifications Not reported
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases Not reported
9. Pollution Not reported
10. Education & Awareness Not reported
11. Habitat Protection 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat The site was declared a National Park in 1991. Ongoing
12. Species Management 12.3. Guard habituated primate groups to ensure their safety/well-being The (Gorilla Doctors) who work at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park regularly monitor the health of habituated gorillas. Ongoing
13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives 13.4. Run tourist projects and ensure permanent human presence at site Ongoing

Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)

Challenges

Table 5. Challenges reported for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Challenge Source
Not reported

Research activities

Counting elusive animals: Comparing field and genetic census of the entire mountain gorilla population of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
Dietary Variability of Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
Population dynamics of the Bwindi mountain gorillas
Behavioral Ecology of Sympatric Chimpanzees and Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda: Diet
Sleeping tree choice by Bwindi chimpanzees

Documented behaviours

Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Behavior Source
Not reported

External links

UNESCO Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Uganda Wildlife Authority
Bwindi Forest National Park in Uganda

Relevant datasets

A.P.E.S Portal

References

BirdLife International. (2020). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/12/2020.
Hickey, J.R., Basabose, A., Gilardi, K.V., Greer, D., Nampindo, S., Robbins, M.M. & Stoinski, T.S. (2018). Gorilla beringei ssp. beringei. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T39999A17989719. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T39999A17989719.en
Roy, J., Vigilant, L., Gray, M., Wright, E., Kato, R., Kabano, P., Basabose, A., Tibenda, E., Kühl, H.S. and Robbins, M.M. (2014). Challenges in the use of genetic mark-recapture to estimate the population size of Bwindi mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). Biological Conservation 180: 249–261
McNeilage, A., Plumptre, A. J., Brock-Doyle, A., & Vedder, A. (2001). Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda: Gorilla census 1997. Oryx, 35(1), 39-47. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3008.2001.00154.x
McNeilage, A., Robbins, M. M., Gray, M., Olupot, W., Babaasa, D., Bitariho, R., Kasangaki, A., Rainer, H., Asuma, S., Mugiri, G., & Baker, J. (2006). Census of the mountain gorilla Gorilla beringei beringei population in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Oryx, 40(4), 419-427. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605306001311


Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: 14/01/2021

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