Eighteen-year-old gorilla gives birth at Bwindi national park
An 18 year old mountain gorilla has given birth to an infant at Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in Kanungu district, western Uganda.
“Uganda Wildlife Authority is delighted to announce our latest addition, a gorilla born to 18-year old adult female Murema of the Kutu group in Rushaga - Bwindi Impenetrable National Park,” reads part of the statement released by UWA spokesperson Bashir Hangi on Sunday.
He said that the baby was born on Friday, 15th, July 2022 but the mother has been quite protective of her young one.
The authority also released some of the first mobile images by its field team of the baby and mother - both in very healthy condition and enjoying their wild forested home.
Murema whose name means ‘lame’, due to a natural handicap in one of her fingers, now has welcomed two successful births. Her first baby called Dunia who was born five years ago is growing fast.
UWA said that with this new birth, the Kutu gorilla family has grown to 21 members under the able leadership of Silverback Ndugu.
“Ndugu loosely translates to mean ‘brother’ in English and he is indeed very welcoming to tourists on gorilla tracking safaris,” Hangi said.
The wildlife authority hence asked the public to join them in congratulating Murema and wishing her baby a long and healthy life in the wild jungles of Uganda.
