Chimpanzees are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation (IUCN). This is why the IUCN calls for increased effort and strong guidelines to protect the few remaining populations.
In Uganda, chimpanzees are found in Kibale Forest National Park and the forest reserves of Budongo, Bugoma, Kalinzu, Kasyoha-kitomi and Maramagambo. A large percentage of the country’s chimpanzee population (about 75%) lives in these areas. Uganda has about 5,000 chimpanzees in the wild. Chimpanzee tracking, habituation, health monitoring and research majorly takes place in Kibale National Park.
Other places where chimpanzee tracking is done are: Budongo Forest Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kalinzu Forest and the Toro-Semuliki wildlife reserve.
Chimpanzee Health Monitoring:

Tourism and research are some of the strategies employed in conservation of chimpanzees. However for such activities (tourism or research) to take place, chimpanzees have to be habituated to human presence. Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives. This means that chimpanzee-human interaction is liable to cause or increase risks of disease transmission. This, therefore poses a significant and growing threat to the health, well-being and long term viability of wild primate populations.
Therefore, to minimize such risks, guidelines are put in place for both researchers and visitors who come to see these amazing animals
Guidelines for Chimpanzee tracking, Habituation & Research in Uganda:
The following are the guidelines proposed to ensure sustainable management of chimpanzee communities that are habituated for research and tourism in Uganda:
- Observe a quarantine of 5 days for visiting researchers who are to stay with the chimps for long
- Do not move in the forest without a field assistant / authorized park rangers
- Change into forest wear before entering the forest and remove it before going home
- Do not wear bright colored clothes into the forest. Bright colors stress the chimps
- Never attempt to feed a chimpanzee. Do not feed in the forest while chimpanzees are watching
- Keep a distance of 7m (researchers) and 8-10m (tourists) from the chimpanzees
- Carry a respirator mask for emergency use at all times
- Do not smoke in the forest. The smoke is harmful to the chimpanzees’ health
Do not track chimpanzees when you are ill especially with diarrhea or respiratory infections. Do report any illness to management
- Disinfect footwear in a footbath or spray before and after visiting the forest
- Disinfect your hands before eating anything and after every forest visit
- Report any abnormality (injured chimps) to the management
- Report any dead animals immediately to the management and if possible, avoid touching them unless guided by a professional
- Researchers and staff should be vaccinated against zoonotic diseases like rabies, yellow fever, tetanus, hepatitis A & B
- Researchers and staff should get routine deworming
- If you are to ease yourself in the forest, get away from the chimpanzees and dig a hole of about 1 ft and cover it after use. To limit such incidences, it is advisable to always ease yourself at the camp / lodge prior
- If the chimp charges at you, just stand still. Avoid eye contact especially with the nervous chimpanzees
- Children below 15 years are not allowed in the forest because their immunity is not yet fully developed
- Ensure your camera flash is off when in the forest. Flashlight may incite aggression among chimpanzees
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