Are Gorillas Friendly

Are mountain gorillas friendly? Are you planning to visit Africa for gorilla trekking and you aren’t certain whether mountain gorillas are friendly or not? Mountain gorilla safaris are with no doubt the main highlight of most African holidays. They are a bucket-list primate and wildlife safari experience attracting thousands of nature lovers every year to enjoy a magical encounter with the rare mountain gorillas in the wild. Are mountain gorillas friendly to humans? Yes, mountain gorillas are a few friendliest creatures in the wild, and they are worth interacting with. Visitor interaction has been made simpler a fact that these apes undergo habituation for about 2 years before they are opened for actual gorilla trekking.

However, like humans, these rare apes do react depending on a number of circumstances that surround them. Trekking gorillas often comes with lots of excitement- imagine meeting a massive silverback or large group of mountain gorillas for the first time.

It should be noted that friendliness is relative- to some people being friendly denotes kisses, hugs, etc, and such may not apply to mountain gorillas. In general, they are peaceful, gentle, and humble except only when attacked or irritated. Upon meeting with mountain gorillas in the wild, always observe the standard gorilla trekking rules and find all it takes to avoid whatever can make them charge or irritated.

The good thing, all gorilla trekking adventures are done with a lead of an experienced park guide who will also keep you reminded of rules to be observed while interacting with these creatures. Observing the guides’ instructions is key and at the end of it, you will have a successful gorilla trekking experience free of attacks or harm.

Are gorillas friendly to their neighbors? Mountain gorillas like other gorilla species live in tight-knit families and do most activities such as resting, foraging, etc around their territory/home range. Most often, gorilla groups break away to make new ones, but studies conducted by Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund state that the initially united families are likely to be friendly to one another about 4 times when they meet.

On the other hand, gorillas can react upon encountering a new family around their territory and this is regardless of whether the group is familiar or not. When irritated or aggressive, mountain gorillas can be seen beating their chests, showing off their strength, screaming, or fighting.

Gorilla trekking rules

Are there rules/measures/regulations I must follow while on gorilla trekking? Yes, there are several safety measures also referred to as gorilla trekking rules and regulations to be observed. They include;

• Keeping an 8m distance between you and the family of mountain gorillas at all times.
• No feeding mountain gorillas.
• No touching a gorilla regardless of whether it rubs itself on you.
• Stay calm or follow the guide’s instructions when gorillas become aggressive- avoid direct eye contact, standstill.
• Don’t eat or drink in the presence of the gorilla family.
• The use of a flashlight camera isn’t accepted as it scares or irritates gorillas.
• Don’t make a loud noise- keep low your voices. Unnecessary or funny noises such as weird sounds, laughter can get gorillas irritated.

Where can I find gorillas?

There are 4 sub-species of gorillas that make up 2 species that are Eastern and Western gorilla species. The Eastern gorilla has the most sought for mountain gorillas and eastern lowland gorillas while the Western gorilla consists of Cross-river and western lowland gorillas. There are only 3 places to visit to see mountain gorillas and that is Uganda, Congo, and Rwanda.

In Uganda, the only places to go for mountain gorilla safari include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. While in Rwanda, find these amazing apes in Volcanoes National Park and in Congo, they exist only in the Virunga National Park.

Visiting Uganda, Congo, and Rwanda to see mountain gorillas all require you to have a valid gorilla permit. In Uganda, permits for mountain gorilla tracking are available for reservation at USD700, Rwanda at USD1500, and in Congo at USD450 per person per day.