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A new scientific census has confirmed the presence of a total of 426 chimpanzees in the lush Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, South Western Uganda.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has officially unveiled the chimpanzee census results, marking a major milestone in strengthening evidence-based conservation in Bwindi, one of Africa’s most important protected areas.
The findings were released on Tuesday 24th February 2026 and are a result of joint study by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the Jane Goodall Institute Uganda (JGI Uganda), a U.S.-based conservation charity.
At the launch, the Uganda Wildlife Authority Executive Director James Musinguzi said the effort had addressed the gap in finding out the status of the endangered chimpanzees in Bwindi, a habitat that is dominated by the mountain gorillas. He said that "chimpanzees are not incidental occupants of the forest but an integral and widely distributed component of Bwindi's great ape assemblage".
The 2025 Bwindi chimpanzee census was conducted systematically between May and September of last year. The results confirmed the presence of up to 426 chimpanzees that are widely distributed in Bwindi’s four main sectors; Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija, and Nkuringo. The chimpanzees in Bwindi thrive in the varied habitats consisting of mixed afro-montane to higher montane forest.
The 2025 Bwindi Census, aimed at establishing the population size, density, and distribution of chimpanzees in the protected area. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in its statement released at the launch says that the census is a "a major milestone in strengthening evidence-based conservation in Bwindi, one of Africa's most important protected landscapes,"
The UWA director, Musinguzi says that the data would help in making "conservation investments" within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a dense tropical rain forest, to which the word "impenetrable" in its name alludes.
The Bwindi chimpanzee census was conducted by the Jane Goodall Institute Uganda (JGI Uganda) together with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the Greater Virunga Trans boundary Collaboration.
James Byamukama, the team leader from Jane Goodall Institute, stated that the census findings will address the long-standing knowledge gaps and clarify the chimpanzee conservation status in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
The findings will also contribute towards the achievement of the overall national chimpanzee conservation strategy needed to protect the great apes within Uganda national parks and forest reserves.
More Facts about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The UNESCO Heritage Site of Bwindi is exceptional protected area famous for hosting nearly half of the world’s remaining population of mountain gorillas. It is the only protected area in Uganda where you can find both chimpanzees and mountain gorillas. The co-existence of the two endangered great apes makes Bwindi a unique destination of its own.
Bwindi lies in the Kigezi highlands, Southwestern Uganda, at an altitude of 1190 to 2607m. It has a land area coverage of 331 sq. km with varying habitats where its diverse wildlife resides. It was created as a National Park in 1991 and was later declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
Today, Bwindi is the most popular destination attracting thousands of travelers all year round. It is one of the most accessible places to see the endangered mountain gorillas, rare wildlife that only thrives in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is also the most affordable destination to travelers looking to gorilla trekking. You can grab a low season gorilla permit at as low as US$600 for the months of April, May and November. For the rest of the year, the gorilla permit is sold at US$800 for international travelers.
Other than chimpanzees and gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park also supports a range of other wildlife. These include forest elephants, baboons, colobus monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, bush pigs, red-tailed monkeys, bushbucks, black-fronted duikers, blue monkeys, and yellow-backed duikers.
The amphibians present in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest make up a total of 27 species. While over 350 species of birds also co-exist with different mammals in the park’s diverse habitats, including the Shelley’s crimsonwing, African green broadbill, Rwenzori batis, white-headed wood hoopoe, yellow-rumped tinker birds, bar-tailed trogons, cinnamon-chested bee-eaters, and turacos.
Additional bird species to explore in Bwindi include montane nightjars, blue-headed sunbirds, African green pigeon, giant kingfishers, crowned hornbill, African emerald cuckoos, bar-tailed turacos, white-tailed blue flycatchers, mackinnon’s shrikes, and black-headed herons, etc.
