Facts about Kahuzi Biega

Facts about Kahuzi Biega

Facts about Kahuzi Biega : Kahuzi Biega is a national park in Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a protected area near Bukavu that’s near the Congo border with Rwanda in the west side of Lake Kivu. This park has the highland and lowland sectors connected by a narrow corridor. It has a rich diversity of flora and fauna and was established in 1970. Eastern Lowland gorillas are considered critically endangered and are included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) List of species that need special protection. This is because they live in regions that are often volatile, killed for meat or caught in fights between rebel groups. Their habitats are being destroyed by humans interested in mining, logging, expanding grazing lands, establishing farmlands and new settlements. Diseases such as Ebola have been found to wipe out entire families. However, all is not lost for the Eastern lowland gorillas. Conservationists and researchers have worked tirelessly to ensure their survival. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is one organization that has taken lead in attracting funds and raising awareness about the need for closer monitoring and conservation of lowland gorillas. As noted, the eastern lowland gorillas differ from mountain gorillas in many ways as some people misunderstand them.

Kahuzi-Biega National Park is the only place where one can track Eastern lowland gorillas and it has about 400 Eastern lowland gorillas living in Kahuzi Biega National Park in about 9 families. 3 of the 9 groups have been habituated and are open for tracking. The park is located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo near Bukavu and south of Lake Kivu. The terrain found in Kahuzi Biega National Park provides perfect habitat for these great apes. Lowland gorilla trekking is basically for travelers interested in primates or wish to have a totally different experience from the usual game viewing safaris. Apart from finding the gorilla, the reward is spotting areas that have never been visited by many before and wondering at the remarkable biodiversity. Despite the relatively high population of lowland gorillas remaining in the wild, it’s much easier to track the mountain gorillas. The range covered by lowland gorillas is wide requiring greater effort habituating them. The Central African Republic and Congo Brazzaville have the highest number of lowland gorillas and provide the greatest opportunities to see. However, many of the strongholds of lowland gorillas in these two countries are found in very remote areas that are often volatile and with poor tourism infrastructure.

Kahuzi-Biega National Park is the only place where one can track Eastern lowland gorillas and it has about 400 Eastern lowland gorillas living in Kahuzi Biega National Park in about 9 families. 3 of the 9 groups have been habituated and are open for tracking. The park is located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo near Bukavu and south of Lake Kivu. The terrain found in Kahuzi-Biega National Park provides perfect habitat for these great apes.

Lowland gorilla trekking is basically for travelers interested in primates or wish to have a totally different experience from the usual game viewing safaris. Apart from finding the gorilla, the reward is spotting areas that have never been visited by many before and wondering at the remarkable biodiversity. Eastern lowland gorillas trekking in Kahuzi-Biega national park starts with briefing at the Tshivanga Visitor Centre which is found outside the park entrance. The park guide will peruse through the rule and regulations regarding lowland gorilla trekking while sharing with visitors’ facts the gorilla families and the terrain they live in.

Eastern lowland gorillas trekking in Kahuzi-Biega national park starts with briefing at the Tshivanga Visitor Centre which is found outside the park entrance. After the briefing, visitors are then led through established trails in search of the gorilla group. Eastern Lowland gorillas are always on the move and finding them may take an hour or two. Visitors will probably first spot the youngsters playing about before the dominant silverback appears to check if there is any potential threat to the family. If all is okay, he will allow trekker to watch the family. You are only allowed one hour with the gorilla group and this will be a perfect time to observe their behavior and take some great photos.

There are a few facts about Kahuzi Biega national park.

1. Kahuzi Biega is one of the only 2 parks with lowland gorillas in the world. Isn’t this fascinating! The other park is also found in Congo that is Maiko National Park but Kahuzi Biega is still the largest of the 2.
2. There were an estimated 600 living in the park in 1990, but there are only believed to be a couple hundred still alive after the fights of the 1990s and 2000s.
3. Kahuzi Biega is managed by Congolais pour la conservation de la Nature (ICCN) along with Wildlife Conservation Society.
4. This park was opened in 2015 but was established in 1970 by a Belgian photographer nd conservationist Adrien Deschryver who also practiced habituation on these gorillas during his stay at the park.
5. This park, Kahuzi Biega, has 2 dormant volcanoes within it. These are mount Kahuzi (3,308 m) and Mount Biega (2,790 m)
6. This park is one of Congo’s largest parks with 2 sectors; Highland (Open for visits) and the lowland (closed for visits)
7. Kahuzi Biega became listed as a World Heritage Site in 1980 as it harbors about 2000 of the remaining lowland gorillas of the world.
8. Kahuzi Biega has only 3 gorilla groups habituated for visit by the tourists.
9. This park doesn’t only have lowland gorillas but a number of other animals like the Forest Hog, the forest Elephant, Antelopes and the bush duikers.