The Dominant Silverback | Gorillas

The Dominant Silverback | Gorillas 

The Dominant Silverback | Gorillas : are dominant male primates native to Africa and live high in the forested mountains. They are basically the largest and strongest among all primates and share a lot in common with the human including the 98% DNA. Adult male mountain gorillas are called silverbacks because of the silver saddle of hair on their backs that indicate maturity. In fact, only the male gorillas are the ones able to become silverbacks at the age of eight years. However, at the age of 13 years, male mountain gorillas become silverbacks and only the silverback can lead a troop.

Description 

Besides, gorillas have a stocky body comprising of a broad chest, long and muscular arms plus wide feet and hands. Their arms are generally longer than their legs and live in groups called families or troops. In addition, each troop is typically composed of 2 to 30 members, 1 to 4 are male adults, and the rest are black backs. As a matter of fact, each gorilla family has a silverback as the leader who fights and defends the family.

Strength may be determined in various ways including engaging in fights with other silverbacks to prove that they rule or lead a group in the forest. Interestingly, silverbacks weigh approximately 350 pounds nearly twice the weight of a normal adult man. Their hands are longer than the legs and these hands give a lot of support to the rest of the body weight. 

Feeding and behavior 

Being the leader and the biggest in the group, the silverback eats twice as much as an adult female since it performs more tasks in the group. They are mainly herbivores, eat only plants and they spend most of their time foraging for food. In addition since they move place to place in search for food, they cannot control one area.

Gorillas basically build new nests each day at dusk, constructing them with various materials. These range from bent tree branches to grasses on the ground since they are nomadic species. They are very shy and gentle animals however, they can become very aggressive and violent when threatened or disturbed. Their charging usually involves beating their chests, making loud grunts and hoots as a way of protecting the family. Other charging displays include; standing erect on his hind legs, tearing up, throwing plants. Drumming the chest with his hands or fists, stamping his feet, striking the ground with his palms, etc.  

Communication

Silverbacks are widely known for their integrity due to their means of communication such as vocalizations, facial expressions, body language, etc. They also display many human-like behaviors and emotions such as sadness and laughter. This makes them our closest cousins after the chimpanzees and bonobos. Fights amongst them are normally thunderous and cause a lot of injuries and at times resulting to deaths.  Regardless the heavy weights of the silverbacks, they are flexible and capable of climbing and swinging on trees in the forest.

Where to see gorillas/silver backs in Uganda

On your trip to Uganda you can spot and trek this marvelous largest primate only in Bwindi and Mgahinga forest National Park.

Mountain gorilla reproduction & mating habits

Mountain gorilla reproduction & mating habits

Mountain gorilla reproduction & mating habits : Female mountain gorillas generally reach sexual maturity before male gorillas. In fact, they mature between the ages of 10 to 12 years old whilst males reach sexual maturity from 11 to 13 years of age. Though females mature earlier, they can have their first ovulation circle at 8 years and they do not breed until they are 10 years. In addition, gorillas produce one offspring per delivery however, they sometimes produce twins. The recurring productive cycle is 28-33 days and after the first ovulation circle, they have to wait for a two years period to breed an infant.

Gorillas are polygamous animals whereby all dominating silverbacks can access all the females in the group. When the females are on heat they follow up the male gorilla although there is always no physical evidence showing that they are on heat. Female mountain gorillas go on heat only for 1-2 days in a month and here they attract the males through different ways. Some of them include; body movements, approaching the silverback with uninterrupted eye contacts and puckering lips. If the male is not reacting, they reach an extent of even touching him or even hit the ground in order to seek for attention.  

On the other hand, gorillas can mate anytime of the year and the gestation period is 8.5 months. Just like humans, and they mostly produce during night time. After delivery, a gorilla will take 4 years or more to conceive again hence they have low birth rates. Infant gorillas are born weighing 2-3 kilograms and vulnerable just like the human babies. The mother caries and has to take good care of them until 3 months when they can sit upright and can walk on their own. 

Where to go for gorilla trekking

Mountain gorillas are greatly endangered species of primates spread across four national parks in Africa that is Virunga national park, Volcanoes national park, Mgahinga national park and Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. These parks straddle within Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. All the above mentioned national parks offer visitors a unique wilderness experience with the great apes, gorilla trekking is the most expensive tourist activity in Africa yet the most fascinating and thrilling experience worth a life time.  will have an hour of observation immediately after finding gorillas during the trek. The cost of gorilla trekking defers from each country, Uganda charges $800, and Congo charges $400 per person and Rwanda offering the most expensive at $1500 per person.

African Savanna and Forest Elephants

African Savanna and Forest Elephants

African Savanna and Forest Elephants : Did you know that an elephant is born blind, but able to walk in the first minutes? The forest elephants and the African Savanna elephants also known as the African bush elephant have a lot in common. In Uganda, we have the savannah and forest elephants and seem to look alike from afar but have also got some differences.

Size

The African savanna elephant is basically the largest living terrestrial animal in the world with bulls growing up to over 3 meters in height. On the other hand, the African forest elephant is the smallest of the two species with bulls that rarely exceed 2.5 metres.

Ears

The ears of the African savanna elephant look like the shape of the African continent. In addition, the ears are much bigger while the ears of the African forest elephant are more oval-shaped.

Tusks

The forest elephants have tusks that are straight and point downward while the African savanna elephants have curved tusks.

Nails

Interestingly, there is a difference between the number of nails on each of the species’ feet. The savanna elephant has got 4 nails on the front feet and 3 on the back feet. However, the African forest elephants has got 5 nails on the front feet and 4 on the back feet.

Family groups

African forest elephants live in family groups of just a few members while African savanna elephants live in family groups. The group consists of about ten members and often congregate in groups of 70 and above.

Habitat

Savanna elephants occupy the savannah, grassland and desert ecosystems of sub-Sahara Africa. While the African forest elephants are found in lowland tropical, subtropical rainforests and woodlands of central western Africa.

Feeding

Though they both feed on trees, herbs and fruits, the savannah elephants have a lower diversity of forage than the forest elephants. In savanna elephants, their seed dispersal and brush clearing maintains the savannah landscape. Additionally, it promotes plant and animal diversity within their range. Forest elephants are allowed the luxury of being highly frugivorous due to them living in the rain forests. Besides, seed dispersal provided by the African forest elephants is crucial to the maintenance of tree diversity.

Threats

African savanna elephants are threatened by different circumstances. Some of these include; the rapidly spreading poaching crisis, loss of habitat, climate change, etc resulting in depleted water sources. African forest elephants are threatened by historical and current rampant poaching, trade pressures, etc.

Where they are found in Uganda

In Uganda, the African savanna elephants can be encountered and viewed in Kidepo, Murchison falls and Queen Elizabeth national park. However, the African forest elephants are Bwindi, Mgahinga, Kibale and some in Semiliki national park.

Long Crested Eagle | Uganda birds

Long Crested Eagle | Uganda birds

Long Crested Eagle | Uganda birds : is basically small to medium-sized African bird of prey in the family Accipitridae and lives throughout Africa. In fact, this bird derives its name from its peculiar long, shaggy crest at the prance of their crown. Scientifically, is called “Lophaetus occipitalis” while in Luganda Uganda local language its “Kamusungu-sungu”. These birds are generally noisy, particularly during the breeding season and their calls include a high-pitched scream and a repetitive “kik kik kik”. On the other hand, they are believed to have prophetic abilities in foretelling marriages. You ask where you will get a bride or groom and the direction it turns is the source of the mate. 

Physical description

These eagles generally have a wholly dark brown to blackish manifestation, with exceptions for the white markings at the base of their primary feathers. They also have a greyish-barred tail consisting of white edges. It possess a hooked bill, yellow in color with a dark tip and has long white patches at the joint of the wings. These are visible when perched thus forming white lines on both sides of the breast.

They possess an irregular long, flabby crest at the end of their crown although in females it appears short. The secondary feathers are black barred with slight grey and broad black tips. The base of the primary feathers and median underwing coverts are white forming a noticeable white patch on the upper and lower surfaces of the wing. This is always visible in flight while the tail is black and barred with little pale grey. In adults, the eyes are golden or bright yellow but at times darker in females. 

Behavior

The species hunts generally in the early morning or at dusk, and then rests under the shadow of a tall tree during the day. It feeds mainly on small rodents and its is very noisy during. It also displays and calls from perches, around the nest site normally using the same perch every day. However, it does not perform flight movements and its display is only noisy. Furthermore, they are monogamous and a pair may usually be seen regularly day after day. 

Reproduction

This eagle is both a monogamous and a territorial bird and during breeding, the male gives out a number of courtship displays.  Some of these include; steep dives, level display flight followed by a number of repeated call soaring. The breeding season is year-round, but probably related to changes in rodent populations usually linked to rainfall. After courtship, both male and female build the nest which is a stick platform with a bowl-shaped depressed in the center. The nest is usually nestled in the mid-canopy and very close to a tree trunk mainly at the forest edges. However, the nest is used year after year for some good years. In addition, the species will often reuse the nest of another bird like the lizard buzzard.

The female lays a clutch of 1-2 eggs and only the female incubates, and she is fed near by the male. However, she also leaves the nest to kill for herself sometimes. During the incubation period, the male is often near the nest and roosts in the same tree or in another close by.  In the first weeks after hatching, the female remains on or near the nest while the male brings food. After three weeks, the female hunts more than the male although the female brings more prey than the male. 

Vocalization

This bird is generally noisy bird as it perches, especially at the beginning of the breeding seasons. It gives out loud and sharp calls and at times shrill “kik-kik-kik-kik-ih”. However, the display call is usually a loud and clear “keeee-eh” or “keee-ee-af”.

Feeding

The long-crested eagle is a “sit and wait” hunter which waits on a perch, scanning the ground and swoops on prey with a gliding flight stroke. Up to 98% of the diet of the species consists of rodents like the greater cane rat. However, it also comprises of small mammals caught on the ground but also includes lizards, small snakes, etc.

Where to spot this bird in Uganda

In Uganda, you can spot this amazing species in most of the National parks like Queen Elizabeth National Park. The bird also thrives in plantations, farmlands, woodlands, orchards, open forests, and forest edges.