Guidelines for Chimpanzee Trekking
The laws established to oversee the activity and guarantee the security of both visitors and monkeys are known as Chimpanzee Trekking Rules & Regulations. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park is governed by a number of regulations that simplify the process, much like any other national park activity carried out in the natural environment. The norms and regulations governing chimpanzee trekking are in place to ensure your enjoyment and to preserve the authenticity of the natural habitat. The Uganda Wildlife Authority, the government agency responsible for overseeing all Ugandan protected areas, establishes the chimpanzee laws and regulations in Kibale National Park. It should be noted that the guidelines for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park also apply to other locations where the activity is carried out, including Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Kyambura Gorge, Kasese’s Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Kaniyo Pabidi in Murchison Falls National Park, and other protected areas in Uganda.
Guidelines for hiking chimpanzees
The guidelines for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale can be divided into two categories. For example, the safety guidelines for chimpanzee trekking are designed to keep you and your fellow trekkers safe while in the bush. The other rules, which are described below, are intended to maintain the chimpanzees in a healthy habitat and to ensure that the law of environmental fidelity is upheld.
Trekking with chimpanzees is a time-sensitive activity. Chimpanzee sightings vary greatly depending on the time of day, season, and weather, unlike zoos. Since the chimpanzees are starting to de-nest from the trees to begin their daily tasks and food hunting, it is best to hike with them in the morning. The chimpanzees congregate to construct new nests for the night, so the evening is also a good time to observe them.
The ideal time of year to see chimpanzees in Kibale National Park is during the dry season, according to the season’s influence on chimpanzee trekking in the park themselves. Warm temperatures throughout the dry season cause the fruits to ripen. Accordingly, chimpanzees can be observed searching for ripe fruits wherever in the jungle. Chimpanzee sightings are limited during the wet season of the year because the rainy or wet season makes it extremely difficult for the primates to move around the forest.
Only six individuals with two guides are permitted to go chimpanzee trekking at a time. Since chimpanzees are one of the most endangered primate species in Africa and the entire globe, human intervention may cause them to migrate. This is the cause of the restricted number of visitors to a specific chimpanzee colony.
You can only spend a maximum of one hour interacting with the chimpanzees. By doing this, the chimpanzees are less stressed when using flash cameras to take pictures and converse excessively. Since chimpanzees are natural creatures with wild tendencies, they may band together and attack if they are fed up with being bothered.
Staying with your group is always a smart idea when trekking chimpanzees in Kibale National Park. Kibale Forest is home to many wild species, including as lions, cerval cats, and leopards, thus you are not safe there alone. One approach to ensure your safety in the jungle while chimpanzee hiking in Kibale National Park is to stay with your group. Additionally, it is best to maintain an 8-meter distance from chimpanzees when trekking in a community. It’s possible for you to contract their illness or perhaps provoke an assault.
At no point should you attempt to chase the chimps. Remember that chimpanzees are tough, powerful wild animals that can attack you at any time, even if you are unaware of it. They are not pets or household pets. While in Kibale National Park, you should likewise stay away from feeding close to the chimpanzees. The best course of action is to simply keep food away from chimpanzees because they are wild creatures and their primary trait is wildness. As a result, they may try to grab your food by force and injure you.
Sick persons are not permitted to trek chimpanzees in Kibale National Park. You don’t want to give any chimpanzee flu or any other illness that could kill it, as human tract infections are one of the reasons chimpanzees are becoming less common. Additionally, children under the age of 15 are not allowed to go chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park; nevertheless, they are welcome to participate in other kid-friendly activities there, such as training on jungle strategies.
Last but not least, if you want to take a break from hiking chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, you should go off the route and dig a trench that is about three meters deep. Then, cover the pit, as the chimps may contract typhoid and other water-borne illnesses. Additionally, when trekking among chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, always remember to speak quietly.
Other than that, chimpanzee trekking is an exciting adventure that offers you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal with both the chimpanzees and the Kibale forest. You may witness a variety of wildlife in Kibale National Park, including birds, monkeys, and vibrant forest greenery, while trekking chimpanzees. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park is available year-round.
