It’s fascinating to learn about the birth of the new baby mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This adds to Uganda’s pride as the country with the biggest number of mountain gorillas – over 459 individuals, and truly highlights how special these gentle giants are to the region.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority confirmed the birth of these new born mountain gorillas. These two babies were born to different mothers from two different families. One baby, Kwitonga’s pride and joy, joins the Nkuringo family, while Bizulu’s bundle of joy is a new member of the Busingye family.

The addition brings an increase in the mountain gorilla members to 16 in the Nkuringo family and 15 in the Busingye family. Both families call Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park their home.

Both mothers and their babies are in a good, healthy state, given the close monitoring by park rangers and veterinary doctors, Uganda Wildlife officials report.

Uganda Mountain Gorilla Distribution

Half of the world’s mountain gorillas live primarily in two protected areas: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Each park has its own gorilla families.

Mountain gorillas are organized into four gorilla trekking groups in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will encounter these on your Uganda gorilla trekking tours. These include

1. Buhoma Sector. This has families like Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura, Katwe, and Muyambi.
2. Ruhija Sector, with families like Bitukura, Oruzogo, and Mukiza
3. 3.      Nkuringo Sector with families like Nkuringo and Posho
4. Rushaga Sector with families like Nshongi and Busingye

Uganda Mountain Gorilla Population

Uganda remains home to the biggest population of mountain gorillas, that is almost half of the world’s 1063 mountain gorillas, with Bwindi National Park having over 459 gorillas and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park having about 30 members.

This population of mountain gorillas beats that of Rwanda, which is 380 individuals, and that of Congo, which is 350 individuals.

Some of these mountain gorillas can be seen on a Uganda gorilla trekking safari, either in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, during a Uganda safari.

The birth of the new mountain gorillas brings an increase in their population in Uganda from 459 to a higher number in the country and the world at large. Uganda proudly celebrates this wonderful expansion of the two mountain gorilla families.

The increase in mountain gorilla population is attributed to the continued support from Uganda safari visitors visiting the park for gorilla trekking in Uganda and the effectiveness of the conservation and protection measures, not forgetting the community involvement in the fight against poaching.

You can also have an opportunity to see mountain gorillas when you take a Congo gorilla trekking safari in Virunga National Park to see these gentle giants, which are close to 350 individuals, while on your Congo safari.

If you are on a Rwanda safari, you can book a Rwanda gorilla trekking tour in Volcanoes National Park to see the endangered mountain gorillas, which number around 380 individuals.

Previous Births of Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park

• In 2024, there were 19 gorilla births. Some of these were born in the Rushaga sector, belonging to the Mucunguzi gorilla family.
• In 2023, there were 15 gorilla births. Some of the births were reported in the Ruhija sector, Rushaga sector, and Nkuringo Sector.
• In 2022, there were 12 gorilla births. One baby was born in the Christian Family in the Nkuringo sector, others in the Mukiza Sector located in the Ruhija sector, and many others in other sectors.
• In 2021, there were 17 gorilla births. These occurred in the Rushaga and Buhoma sectors by the Mucunguzi, Nyakagezi, and Rushegura families.
• In 2020, there were 9 gorilla births. One of the babies was born in the Nshongi family, and the other in the Muyambi family, both within the Rushaga sector, and the rest in other sectors.
• In 2019, there were 3 gorilla births. Some of these were born in the Nshongi and Muyambi families.

Uganda Mountain Gorilla Census

The previous mountain gorilla census confirmed a total of 459 mountain gorillas in Bwindi National Park Forest out of the 1063 mountain gorillas in the world. The public has not yet received the results of the current census, which began on 7 May 2025.  The census is designed to determine the population of gorillas and chimpanzees in Uganda.

The launch for this census took place at the Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation (ITFC) in Ruhija, within the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park. This census involves a collaboration of conservation stakeholders who aim to do their best to further increase the number of Ugandan mountain gorillas.

The census of mountain gorillas is to take place in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and nearby Sarambwe Reserve. The goal is to determine the growth in the mountain gorilla population and the efficiency of the conservation efforts.

The Future Projection of The Uganda Mountain Gorilla Population

For about three decades, these apes were close to extinction. Human actions such as poaching and agriculture, among others, greatly contributed to this. Today, the future of mountain gorillas in Uganda looks bright. Because of conservation efforts, there is a boom in the number of newborn gorillas across various sectors and among gorilla families in the parks.

The government, represented by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and other agencies, has

1. Put in place clear boundaries in the parks.
2. Encouraging effective and maximum conservation at the different national parks
3. Discouraged human activities like poaching and encroachment through routine park patrols
4. Health monitoring to ensure that mountain gorillas are in good condition.
5. Improvement in the integrity of several parks and how different workers treat their customers.
6. Collaboration between different units to conserve mountain gorillas. These include health units, law enforcers like the police, and officials from the tourism sector.
7. Community involvement

On 27 November 2017, Dr. Andrew Seguya, the former executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority, said that, because of the above efforts, the population of gorillas in Uganda is expected to rise at least by 3%. This will enable Uganda to remain the leading destination when it comes to mountain gorilla trekking in Africa.

Since mountain gorillas are a major draw to the Uganda safaris sector. An increase in gorillas or a boom in newborn gorillas will mean an increase in Uganda’s foreign earnings from tourists who safari to Uganda.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda and other activities that tourists engage in while on the Uganda gorilla trekking safari in parks like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park generate substantial income for the nation and local communities.

The income from Uganda gorilla trekking tours can be used to uplift communities. This can be done through the funding of schools, hospitals, and different social services.

To the ecosystem, given that gorillas are fruit and foliage eaters, they are effective at dispersing seeds in the forest, and their increase in number or a boom in the newly born population adds significantly to the environment.

Mountain gorillas are good at habitat shaping through moving around the forest, thereby creating openings. These openings are for aeration and allow sunlight to reach some plants, thereby supporting their growth.

The Role Played by Conservation Measures in Raising the Number of Mountain Gorillas in Uganda

The birth of new mountain gorillas in Uganda is evidence of the success of ongoing conservation efforts in Uganda’s national parks, particularly in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. 

These recent births in the Nkuringo family and the Busingye family reflect the effectiveness of anti-poaching and habitat protection measures.  However, a critical analysis acknowledges the ongoing gorilla conservation threats and challenges, including the need for sustainable conservation funding and community engagement to ensure the long-term survival of these critically endangered mountain gorillas – giant Apes.

Before you embark on mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda while on your Uganda gorilla safari, consider visiting the newborn mountain gorillas in the Nkuringo Sector and Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Witnessing them will help you realize the significance of wildlife conservation in Uganda and the crucial need to protect the natural habitats of all species.