We see them in brochures, we read so many articles about them, we have watched them a couple of times in movies like Dawn of the planet of the apes or King Kong; we are willing to sit still and watch a day-long documentary about them and we love to hear stories told by people who have met them. There is more to add to this list of many things we are willing to do for them, simply because they are the coolest beasts today.
I am not talking about the many smaller lowland gorillas that you will easily find on a Gorilla Safari adventure in western Africa, but I am referring to the few mountain gorillas (beringei beringei subspecies). Here’s why I think they are so cool.
The total number of Mountain gorillas in the world is below 900 individuals and these can only be found in three countries Uganda, Rwanda and Congo DR. Like celebrities, they are not individuals who you will easily come across every day but require series of preparation; if at all you get the opportunity of visiting them.
Mountain gorillas are profoundly strong. The power of a silverback (male mountain gorilla) is ten (10) times the strength of a heavy weight boxer on drugs. So mountain gorilla safari and tours visitors whether in Uganda, Rwanda or Congo ought to be careful not to annoy them. Though very strong, they are very calm and friendly animals.
Mountain gorillas have about 94% of the genetic composition of man. That’s why they behave in a manner very similar to our own. For example mountain gorillas mourn the loss of a loved one, so they have emotions. Also like humans most male mountain gorillas have a yearning for power and authority that cannot be extinguished. It sounds completely out of the world, but mountain gorillas take naps. Around lunch time, a number of mountain gorillas take a nap. Leaders of Mountain gorilla families also fight to defend their loved ones like men do; only that sometimes they go further to the point of death.Another cool thing about these species is that they open their homes to guests at any time of the year and they offer a daily full hour of complete dedication to their guests (tourists) once they arrive. Tourists who have been on Mountain gorilla tracking safaris and tours in Rwanda or Uganda can testify to this.
Did you know that by visiting a mountain gorilla family, you are contributing to the conservation of these outstanding species? Many people in the past have unknowingly supported this good cause. It does not matter whether you embark on Mountain gorilla tracking safaris and tours in Rwanda or Africa at large, but wherever you go; the money you pay for the gorilla permit will be injected in programs that toil towards rejuvenating the world’s coolest beasts!
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