Bwindi census confirms 426 chimpanzees
Uganda has confirmed an estimated 426 chimpanzees widely distributed across Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, following the park’s first dedicated chimpanzee census. The findings – announced in Kampala by the Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities – reinforce Bwindi’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site of global importance for great apes and support science‑led management relevant to conservation and nature‑based tourism.
Conducted in May–June 2025 by the Jane Goodall Institute Uganda with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration, the survey covered 320.9 square kilometres across Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga using line‑transect nest counts, alongside the park’s sixth mountain gorilla census. Conservative modelling estimated a density of 1.33 chimpanzees per square kilometre, with minimal signs of human disturbance; the results provide a robust baseline for integrated planning with gorillas and operationalise Uganda’s National Chimpanzee Conservation Strategy 2023/24–2032/33.
Source: Uganda Wildlife Authority
