Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

By Ariadne van Zandbergen

Ariadne and her husband form a team who author the Bradt guide to Uganda.

The main attraction in Bwindi is its mountain gorillas. Of its population of approximately 400 individuals, more than a hundred are habituated. Bwindi has more than 120 mammal species, the second most of any park in Uganda (after Queen Elizabeth NP). Most of these are small forest species. Elephant is the only one of the Big Five that is present, although they are rarely seen. More regularly encountered are some of the six antelope species, which include bushbuck and several types of duiker.

GorillaCommon

ChimpanzeeRare

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

LionNone

LeopardNone

CheetahNone

HippoNone

BuffaloNone

ZebraNone

WildebeestNone

ElephantRare

GiraffeNone

Wildlife Highlights

Bwindi is located on the edge of the Albertine Rift, a region harboring the most vertebrates in any region of a comparable size in Africa. It contains a huge number of endemic and threatened species and is therefore a hotspot in conservation. Butterflies are something of a specialty, with an impressive list of 220 species, eight of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift and three only occur in Bwindi. Bwindi is home to ten primate species including the rare l'Hoest's monkey and black-and-white colobus. Chimpanzee are present but not habituated and therefore rarely seen.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Rainfall is the main factor to consider when deciding the best time for gorilla trekking. Heavy rains result in slippery and challenging hiking trails. It can rain at any time of the year, but June to August and December to January have less rain and are therefore considered the best time to go. The park stays open throughout the year.