Primates in Kibale forest national park. Kibale National Park is located in western Uganda and is home to primates in Uganda and East Africa, the park is on an area of 766 sq. km most of which is forested with about 13 primates, 1500 chimpanzees, 70 mammals, and over 375 bird species. Kibale National Park was established in 1993 to protect the forest and is managed by the Uganda wildlife authority. Kibale national park has primates which include;

Chimpanzees in Kibale:

Chimpanzees form the largest population of primates which are over 1500 chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park with about 80 which are habituated making them the main attractions in the park, chimpanzees in physical appearance are tailless primates with a dark fur coat on their body i.e. on the face, fingers, and palms of hands with 98.7%of human DNA. Chimpanzees give birth to only one young one weighing 1.8kg after a gestation period of 8 months and take care of their news baby for 2 years

Chimpanzees mostly live in rain forests and woodland savanna the reason why Kibale National Park has a dense population of chimpanzees is because of its forested nature. A male chimpanzee becomes an adult at the age of 16 which a female becomes an adult and starts producing at the age of 13 and each chimpanzee gives birth to two young ones in their lifetime. Chimpanzee lifetime depends on the environment they are living in a normal life experience is 50 but if given medical assistance it can live up to 60 years in the life

Black and white colobus monkeys:

With the name colobus meaning mutilated these are another set of primates in Kibale forest national park and are seen during chimpanzee trekking and nature walks. These monkeys are born with white fur and pin face, black and white colobus monkey grows a full black body and white beard, shoulders, and back. These monkeys are territorial groups living in groups of 9 members with one male, female, and offsprings which are always born white completely.

Red tailored monkeys:

Well known for spot nosed, red-tailed guenon or black cheeked white-nosed monkey. They have large cheek pouches to keep as much food as a stomach would and they use this to keep food that other primates would steal, their food is fruits, leaves, roots, flowers, insects, and tree gum.   Though very friendly and social, red-tailed monkeys are active shy primates with nostrils pointing downward, white nose, checks with black and dark grey body fur.

Grey checked mangabey:

Grey checked mangabeys are beautiful primates you would love to see at Kibale forest national park. They are also referred to as white-cheeked mangabey. They are small in size with the males being larger than females and have dark fur-covered bodies. Its only Kibale National Park and Semuliki National Park that grey checked mangabeys can trek in Uganda and some grey checked mangabeys are going through habituation to optimize the tourism experience of these amazing primates.

Red colobus monkeys:

The appearance of the red colobus monkey is pretty must a rust-red cap with a face between black and grey. They mainly feed on leaves, fruits, flowers, and small insects, they live in troops of about 20-80 group members headed by a red colobus monkey. Note that Kibale forest national park has the biggest number of red colobus monkeys in East Africa.

L’Hoest’s monkey:

These are also called mountain monkeys. They are short with dark brown fur coat with a chestnut lored fur across the back. L’hoest’s monkeys have light grey chicks with a pale mustache and belly coated with dark fur. A male L’hoest’s is bigger than the female one and lives in small groups dominated by the female with one male with the male living in the groups for a few weeks or a year and leave. Their gestation period is five months and give birth to a single one and give birth at night

Olive baboons:

Olive baboons are also known as Anubis baboons and are one of the biggest primates in Kibale forest national park, they are mostly seen around Kanyachu when hiking or doing chimpanzee tracking. The physical appearance of these primates is that they are covered with green-grey fur coat multi-colored with rings of yellow-brown and black on their hairs. The males are bigger than females in size and they live in groups of 150 individuals.

Why Kibale Forest National is primate capital in Uganda

Kibale Forest National park is a primate capital: Kibale national park is found in western Uganda together with Kibale forest in Kabarole and Kamwenge districts near fort portal. The park was established in 1993 to protect wildlife and the forest, the park is on an area of 766 sq. km. The park is well known for the highest number of chimpanzees in East Africa, 12 more primates, 70 mammals, and 375 bird species

Kibale National Park has been blessed with so many attractions that attract a lot of tourists to this forest haven which makes it a wonder of the world.

Forest and vegetation cover of Kibale Forest National Park: Kibale national park is blessed with diverse vegetation cover with a thick canopy of a forest in the central region of the park around Kanyanchu with tall trees over 200 years old and 351 tree species registered in the park. But unfortunately due to deforestation practices carried out by Bakiga and Batooro people the forest has lost a great number of indigenous trees but because of efforts of environmental conservation, Kibale forest is regaining its lost species as its one of the protected areas in Uganda.

Kibale forest harbors over 250 tree species with moist forest and a semi-deciduous canopy there is dry tropical forest, savannah woodland along the rift valley floor, and moist evergreen forest/ wet tropical forest on the plateau of Fort Portal while around Kanyanchu in the central park the forest consists of a mixture of evergreen trees making it the best destination for nature lovers.

Primates in Kibale Forest National Park: Kibale national park has 13 primates and it’s the park in east Africa with the highest number of primates. Chimpanzees are the main attractions but the park has also got pottos monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, L’hoest’s monkeys, velvet monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, grey checked mangabeys, Uganda red colobus, and Demidoff galago among others.

Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park: These are the most attractions at Kibale National Park. They live in groups and some in their habituated state if they are used to being with humans. In Kibale National Park there are research habituated communities in Kanyawara with 50-60 chimpanzees and in the central region, there are 20 chimpanzees of which Kanyawara and Sebitoli communities are under research. Chimpanzee trekking activities in Kibale National Park go for USD200 to foreign nonresidents, USD 100 to foreign residents, and 100,000 UGX for East African citizens that’s Uganda Kenya Tanzania Rwanda, and Burundi

To get involved in chimpanzee trekking you must obey the rules and regulations given by the Uganda Wildlife Authority these include tourists with flue and children below 15 years are not allowed to track chimpanzees, keep a distance of 8 meters from primates, only 8 tourists are allowed to track chimpanzees per group, don’t eat around chimpanzees, don’t make unnecessary noise and lastly don’t use cameras with flashes to take pictures or record moments with chimpanzees

Mammals of Kibale Forest National Park: Kibale forest national park is home to over 70 mammals which are great to wildlife and interest tourists as they are seen during hiking and nature walks. These mammals include elephants, golden cats, red and blue dikers, bushbucks, sitatungas, bush pigs, giant forest hogs, African buffalo, and lions which visit the park often as they migrate from the bearing areas of Bigodi wetland sanctuary and Queen Elizabeth national park.

Birds of Kibale Forest National Park: Kibale national park has a registered number of 375 bird species making it one of the best spots for bird watching in Uganda. These birds make Kibale National Park heaven with colorful feathers and sounds. Birds in Kibale National Park include African grey parrot, little greenbul, black-eared ground thrush, African jacana, spotted nectar, purple breasted sunbird among others

Ndali Kasenda crater lakes in Kibale Forest National Park: Ndali Kasende craters were formed by the Chwezi leader in the name of Ndahura and are beautiful scenery with plains, thick vegetation with trees, and water in lakes formed 1,000 years ago. These crater lakes are found 30km south of fort portal and the sector has 60 stable and seasonal freshwater lakes and when you get to visit these lakes you get to see monkeys, butterflies, Kabarole tea estates, Lake George, and the southern rift valley plains

Cultural safari tours in Kibale Forest National Park: Kibale national park does not offer only activities to do with nature but also culture. When you carry out village walks you get to see the Batooro culture of the indigenous people and immigrant Bakiga people. Here you get to see their way of living, dressing, traditional dances, and stories, and much