Tracking Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park
In Kibale National Park, chimpanzee tracking is the most popular and most reserved activity that takes place there. Many writers frequently confuse chimpanzee tracking with chimpanzee trekking. Even if the two activities can be completed on the same day, they are completely antonymous. While chimpanzee trekking is following the chimpanzees while observing their various habits, chimpanzee tracking entails attempting to locate the chimpanzee group to be researched. Chimpanzee trekking is a nice way to describe the process of chimpanzee habituation. When deciding which activities to include in the safari itinerary for Kibale National Park, guests can grasp both of these options.
Tracking chimpanzees
The Kanyanchu visitor center, located in the park’s northern region, is where chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park begins. Because it is heavily forested, the northern portion of Kibale National Park is ideal for chimpanzee tracking activities. In Kanyanchu, there is a sizable chimpanzee population that is accustomed to providing you with the greatest experience. For the recommended one-hour period, you will be rewarded with quality time to learn intimately about the chimpanzees as they become accustomed to human visits and become less reactive to visitor encounters.
Kibale At Kanyanchu, chimpanzee tracking begins at around six in the morning. The visitor center lies at Kanyanchu, which is also the starting point for jungle activities such as tracking chimpanzees. Before heading into the bush to search for the chimpanzees, a group of six individuals meets at Kanyanchu for a briefing. Two guides accompany the group and assist in locating the chimpanzees’ possible overnight nesting location. The visitors then follow that specific group of chimpanzees as they engage in various activities, such as mating, seeking for food, and other fascinating behaviors.
Given that they share roughly 98% of the human genetic makeup, chimpanzees are the closest apes to humans. The chimpanzees’ social behaviors, including their communication, hunting, and use of various tools to obtain food, will astound you. This has a lot to do with how people live their daily lives. Chimpanzees utilize signs and gestures that are nearly identical to our own to communicate. You will gain an insight of the mutuality of nature during your hour-long encounter with chimpanzees in Kibale National Park.
Guidelines for tracking chimpanzees in Kibale National Park
Despite the forest’s beauty, you should never forget that it is a rainforest with many wild animals. You will have the finest experience following chimpanzees in Kibale National Park if you bow down and follow the forest’s norms and regulations. Despite their appeal and the adorableness of their young, chimpanzees are wild animals that are not very accustomed to human behavior. Therefore, when tracking chimpanzees, it is best to maintain a safe distance.
Participation in the chimpanzee tracking activity in Kibale National Park is prohibited for those who are ill. Chimpanzees are susceptible to infectious diseases like influenza and cough, just like people are. Therefore, in order to support the sustainable and forward-thinking growth of chimpanzees, all sick individuals are prohibited from engaging in chimpanzee monitoring in Kibale National Park.
Chimpanzee tracking is strictly limited to groups of no more than six individuals in Kibale National Park. This is done in an effort to lessen the strain that many people would have on chimpanzees and their habitat. The majority of Kibale National Park’s chimpanzee monitoring regulations are designed to protect the park’s biodiversity.
Staying with your group is crucial when following chimpanzees in Kibale National Park. This is one of the regulations pertaining to your safety; in addition to chimpanzees, Kibale National Park is home to numerous other species of wildlife, including leopards and cerval cats, so you must take precautions. Additionally, avoid littering the national park, eating in front of chimpanzees, and giving them food at all times as this may change how they eat.
Permits for tracking chimpanzees
The Uganda Wildlife Authority is responsible for issuing permits for tracking chimpanzees in Kibale National Park. Since chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park is such a competitive and demanding hobby, it is best to make reservations in advance to avoid any inconveniences. Kibale National Park sees a high volume of visitors during the dry season, which is also the busiest travel period. Only two shifts of two persons per day or two groups of six people are permitted to track the chimpanzees in a single day.
Although chimpanzee tracking permits in Kibale National Parks cost $150 USD per person, children under the age of 12 are not permitted to track chimpanzees. However, they can take part in the kid-friendly activities at Kibale National Park, like nature walks where they can witness several monkey species as well as other flora and birds that resemble forest life.
Beginning in 1993, chimpanzees in Kibale National Park have been monitored, primarily in Kanyanchu. Since the Kanyanchu chimpanzee group has been habituated for more than 25 years, there is a 90% possibility of enjoying an interaction with the chimpanzees, making it easier to locate them than in any other area in Kibale Forest National Park. you avoid any problems, make sure you reserve your chimpanzee tracking permit in advance at Kibale National Park at any time of the year.
