Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is the smallest park in the country. Mgahinga gorilla national park is situated in south western Uganda, in kisoro district. It is about 38 sq km and a habitat for the endangered mountain gorillas. This park was gazetted in 1999 and is part of the virunga conservation area. This park adjoins Rwanda’s volcano, and the democratic republic of Congo’s virunga national parks. Mgahinga gorilla national park experiences two wet seasons in the year that is February to May, and September to December. Mgahinga National Park, is part of the part of the bigger Virunga Conservation Area, now jointly protected area with Congo and Rwanda. It has 3 extinct volcanoes; Mount Sabinyo (3.669 m.), Mount Gahinga (3.474 m.) and Mount Muhavura (4.127 m.). Therefore “Mgahinga” was named after Mount Gahinga plus the initial of Mount Muhavura.
Species
There are 76 mammal species recorded, including buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, golden monkeys, leopards. This park was once a home to the mountain gorillas but then they migrated to Rwanda in the Volcanoes. 115 bird species have been recorded, including Rwenzori turaco, crowned hornbill, black kite and crowned crane. Mgahinga hosts a population of golden monkeys and a few families of mountains gorillas.