Kibale National Park – “The Primate Capital of The World”

This largely forested park with an extensive biodiversity national park, protecting large blocks of rainforest birding. It harbors the greatest variety and concentration o primates found anywhere in East Africa.

Conservation Importance: An evergreen rainforest National Park whose mammal fauna is dominated by primates. 13 species have been recorded of which the Chimpanzees and the Red Colobus Monkeys have both been assessed by IUCN as endangered or critically endangered. The rare L’Hoest’s Monkey live in this forest too. The park’s population elephants travel between Kibale and Queen Elizabeth National Park. Other large mammals within the park include Leopards, Bushpigs, three species of Duiker and two species Otter. Bird life here includes two species of pittas (African and Green-breasted) among others.

Elevation: 1110 – 1590m

Specie diversity: At least 71 species of mammals have been recorded, 375of birds, 250 of butterflies, 350 of trees and shrubs, 27 of frogs and toads, and 14 of snakes. Among reptile, the rock python is the biggest in here.

Timing: March – May, September – November

Tourist attraction: A single group of family of chimpanzee has been habituated for tourism. Chimp tracking/primate walk and bird watching the major tourist activities here. With well-developed nature trails, tourists spend time exploring several kilometers of forest.

Size and accessibility: Gazetted in 1993, the park covers 795km² of rainforest, swamps, rivers and few areas of grassland. The park headquarters, Kanyachu, is easily accessed from the nearest town of Fortpotal, which is 36km of marram road. While Kampala to Kanyachu via Fortpotal is a distance of 358km.

Habitant: The forest section (77%0 o the park is covered by medium altitude moist semideciduous forest at lower altitude in the south. The remaining 23% consist of grassland, swamps and some plantation with exotic conifers.