Uganda: Mountain Gorilla Population Rises to 1,063 Amid Calls to End Illegal Tracking

What the report says

Conservation officials in Uganda said the mountain gorilla population across Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo has climbed to 1,063, compared with about 300 in 1990. The update was shared during Uganda’s World Gorilla Day commemoration at Ruhija Community Playground in Rubanda District, where government representatives, conservation groups, local leaders and nearby communities gathered around this year’s conservation theme focused on restoring indigenous trees and supporting resilient communities.

According to the report carried by Nile Post and distributed by AllAfrica, 459 of the gorillas are in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, while the rest are in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Congo’s Virunga National Park. Officials linked the increase to habitat protection, routine monitoring, enforcement efforts and stronger community participation near protected areas.

The article also highlighted calls to curb illegal or irregular gorilla tracking in Kigezi, which officials said can undermine conservation and tourism. A local mayor praised communities around Bwindi for supporting protection efforts, while urging more tangible benefits for residents who live alongside wildlife. The report said Uganda rotates its national World Gorilla Day event among Rubanda, Kisoro and Kanungu districts. More broadly, World Gorilla Day is observed each September 24 to promote gorilla conservation.