Gorilla 'baby boom' set to boost tourism in Uganda

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Uganda has begun counting its population of critically endangered mountain gorillas amid confidence that their numbers are steadily rising, boosting prospects for its tourism industry that relies heavily on the primates. The last census in 2011 showed the East African country had 480 mountain gorillas in two protected areas, or about half of the world's surviving population. The others are in neighbouring Rwanda and Congo's forested mountain areas.
Since March a census team has been traversing Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, collecting the gorillas' dung and examining their nests for hair samples and other clues. Their data, which will be subjected to genetic analysis in Europe, is far more reliable than a head count, wildlife officials said. The census ends in mid-May and results are not expected for several months.
"We have some hope that we shall register a few more individuals because we feel that we have been doing some things right," said Simplicious Gessa, a spokesman for the Uganda Wildlife Authority. "We have had a huge baby boom over the years in our habituated groups."

The habituated gorillas - those comfortable in the presence of humans - in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and nearby Mgahinga National Park have become Uganda's main tourist attraction. A gorilla tracking permit costs a tourist up to $600, and last year thousands paid for the opportunity to see the primates in their natural habitat.