Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Explained

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Location:Kanungu District, Uganda
Nearest City:Kanungu
Map:Uganda
Area Km2:331
Governing Body:National Environment Management Authority of Uganda
Website:https://bwindiimpenetrablenationalpark.com

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a large primeval forest located in south-western Uganda and is located in three districts of Kisoro, Kabale and Kanungu. The Bwindi forest is on the edge of the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift, at elevations ranging from 1160mto2607mm (3,810feetto8,553feetm). The forest contains around 160 species of trees and over 100 species of ferns.[1] Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve was set up in 1942 on the rim of the Rift Valley.[2]

Origin of name

The name Bwindi is derived from the Runyakitara word Mubwindi and means "a place full of darkness".[3] This name comes from the extensive stands of bamboo interspersed amongst the larger forest hardwoods. The bamboo and thick ground cover of ferns, vines, and other plant growth severely hinder direct access on foot.[4] Also known as the "Place of Darkness",[5] the forest is on the edge of the western arm of the Great Rift Valley, only a few kilometers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) border and about 25km (16miles) north of the Virunga Mountains.

Wildlife

The forest is one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth.[6] Half of the world's population of the highly endangered mountain gorillas live within its borders.[7] [8] The forest has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as a World Heritage Site for its biological significance.

At present the forest is believed to contain 120 mammals species, 348 bird species, 220 butterfly species and 27 frog species. Included among the mammals are forest elephants and yellow-backed duikers. While mountain gorillas are the most notable of the forest's primates (provides shelter to more than half the world’s population of Mountain Gorillas),[9] other residents include chimpanzees, blue monkeys, l’Hoest’s monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys.[10] The forest's birds include great blue turacos, black-billed turacos, black bee-eaters, African green broadbills, handsome francolins, African black ducks and Cassin’s grey flycatchers, white- tailed blue flycatcher, brown-necked parrot, white-bellied robin chat.[10] [11]

Socioeconomic struggles

The forest has been described as "Riven by disputes and crosshatched by historical, political, and biological borders" by researcher Craig Stanford, co-director of the park's Jane Goodall Research Center.[12] [13] The forest is the traditional home of the Batwa people, a marginalized community within Ugandan society.[14] [15]

Establishment of a national park

In 1991, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was established, adjacent to the Uganda, Rwanda and DRC border region. The park was created to protect the forest's mountain gorilla population from poachers and habitat destruction. Gorilla treks are led on a daily basis into different sections of the forest so that trekkers can see the mountain gorillas and in so doing generate necessary funds for the protection of these endangered primates. The Batwa people lost their traditional hunting grounds through the establishment of the park.[15]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. 2021-09-09. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. en.
  2. Web site: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park Uganda . 2024-06-22 . Bwindi . en-US.
  3. Web site: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Gorilla Trekking . 22 December 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130919150038/http://www.gorillatrekkingtrip.com/bwindi-national-park.html . 19 September 2013.
  4. Web site: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park - UNESCO World Heritage Centre . 22 December 2013.
  5. Web site: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation. 2021-05-29. itfc.must.ac.ug.
  6. Web site: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. 2021-05-29. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. en.
  7. Web site: Trekking with Mountain Gorillas Visit Virunga National Park. 2021-05-29. Visit Virunga. en-US.
  8. Web site: 2018-01-25. Why You Need to See Africa's Mountain Gorillas in Uganda. https://web.archive.org/web/20210225162447/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/reasons-trek-see-mountain-gorillas-uganda. dead. February 25, 2021. 2021-05-29. Adventure. en.
  9. Web site: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park Uganda . 2024-06-22 . Bwindi . en-US.
  10. Web site: Animals & Wildlife in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. 2021-09-09. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. en-US.
  11. Web site: 2019-04-05 . Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - National Parks Uganda Parks . 2024-06-22 . en-US.
  12. Web site: Craig Stanford describes Bwindi forest as a place Riven by disputes and crosshatched - Google Search. 2021-05-29. www.google.co.ug.
  13. Web site: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda. 2021-05-29. Trek Zone. en.
  14. Web site: UOBDU. 2021. United Organisation for Batwa Development in Uganda (UOBDU). live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190831014156/http://www.forestpeoples.org/en/partner/united-organisation-batwa-development-uganda-uobdu . 2019-08-31 .
  15. Web site: Batwa. 2021-09-09. Minority Rights Group. en-GB.