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My experience tracking chimpanzees in Kibale National Park on May 6, 2026, was surreal.
It instantly brought back memories of my 2015 visit to Mgahinga National Park, where I came into close contact with the mountain gorillas of the famous Nyakagezi family.
But chimpanzees, described as man’s closest relatives among the primates, evoke a different kind of emotion. The explosive banging sounds and aggressive cries that echoed through Kibale’s dense forest sent chills down my spine as we approached the famous Kanyantare chimpanzee community in the Kanyanchu sector.
“My brother, don’t fear… that’s how chimps behave, and it’s normal. Just keep walking fast, and once we get closer, you’re going to have a memorable experience,” Eddy Kisseka, a television journalist who was tracking the chimps for the seventh time, assured me.
Minutes later, we were within touching distance of the animals. My anxiety gradually dissolved into awe about thirty minutes later when the chimpanzees, led by their alpha male nicknamed Mr Black, or Rukara in the local language, settled deep in the forest.
Our Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) guide, Jane Mutahinga, cautioned us to remain calm.
“Please calm down. Don’t rush to take pictures. Give them some minutes to start eating,” she advised.
Her words soon proved wise. As the chimpanzees relaxed, they displayed remarkable interaction skills. Rukara, in particular, moved closest to the group and occasionally paused as journalists and tourists jostled to capture photographs.
At one point, he appeared almost comfortable posing for cameras, giving visitors ample time to take selfies. It was a fascinating spectacle watching the primates casually walk past us before climbing towering trees in search of their favourite fruits.
Later, Mutahinga explained that the loud noises and aggressive banging on tree trunks are part of the chimpanzees’ communication system, used to pass important information within the community.
I was among 18 journalists and social media influencers invited by UWA on a guided tour to Kibale National Park to better understand chimpanzee behaviour. The visit followed a widespread report on the Internet suggesting that a “civil war” was ongoing among chimpanzee communities in Kibale.
However, park authorities say such conflicts are natural. John Justice Tibesigwa, the chief warden of Kibale National Park, explained that chimpanzees, like humans, regularly compete over resources and leadership.
“They also get into conflict like us humans over resources such as water, food and leadership,” Tibesigwa said.
“It’s normal behaviour for dominant males to fight over control of a particular community.”
Tibesigwa added that population growth could also be contributing to increased tensions among the chimp communities in Kibale. According to the last census conducted in the early 2000s, Kibale National Park had 1,019 chimpanzees.
An even higher figure is expected from the latest census conducted last year. Uganda’s chimpanzees are also found in forests such as Budongo, Bugoma, Maramagambo and Kalinzu in the Albertine Rift Valley.
However, Kibale hosts the country’s largest chimp population, earning it the title of the “World’s Chimpanzee Capital.” Interestingly, Tibesigwa believes the much-publicised chimp conflicts have unintentionally increased interest in the park.
Tourist numbers rose from 19,660 visitors in the 2023/24 financial year to 20,773 in 2024/25.
“That increment in the number of tourists translates into increased revenues that UWA shares with all the neighbouring communities,” Tibesigwa explained. “And the biggest tourist attraction are the chimpanzees.”
Beyond the viral headlines and dramatic social media narratives, my time in Kibale revealed something far more compelling; a complex, intelligent and deeply social species living out its natural instincts in one of Africa’s richest forests.
Related
, https://observer.ug/news/surreal-experience-with-chimps-inside-kibale-national-park/
