The Habituation of Chimpanzees
Chimpanzee habituation is the process of acclimating these primates to human presence and getting them ready for tracking. These primates must be acclimated over an extended period of time—up to three years—before they can be released for tracking. Of the approximately 4950 chimpanzees in Uganda, 1500 can be found at Kibale National Park. The sole location in Uganda where chimpanzee habituation is practiced is Kibale National Park, which is situated in Kabarole District.
Unlike chimpanzee tracking, travelers are allowed to spend more time with the monkeys during chimpanzee habituation. Around three to four hours are spent tracking chimpanzees, and after an encounter, visitors get to spend an hour with the monkeys. Travelers are allowed to spend up to six hours with chimpanzees for chimpanzee habituation, and they can even spend the entire day with them.
In order to allow travelers to participate in chimpanzee habituation, separate permissions are also needed. Chimpanzee habituation permits cost USD 220 for non-foreign residents and USD 150 for foreign residents, in contrast to the USD 150 cost for chimpanzee tracking permits. The cost of this activity is USD 70 for East African citizens.
One should reserve their permits at least three months before the trip date in order to take part in this chimpanzee habituation program. Additionally, they ought to take into account how important a reliable trip operator is. A reputable tour operator will assist you in arranging your lodging, permits, transportation, and meals when you book your chimpanzee habituation safari.
Given the abundance of these monkeys, Uganda is well known for being a location where chimpanzee monitoring and habituation may be done with ease worldwide.
