Kalinzu Forest is located on the way from the capital Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the country's most famous national parks, and has great appeal as a tourism site where chimpanzees and forest monkeys not seen in Queen Elizabeth can be seen. To generate income for both the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and local communities, and to raise awareness of forest and wildlife conservation, we support NFA-operated ecotourism focused on chimpanzees and other primates.
However, if tourist numbers or viewing distances are not properly controlled, tourism targeting chimpanzees can lead to changes in their home range, making them harder to find, and also increases the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. Moreover, if tourism takes precedence over research activities, it may hinder scientific studies and result in a lack of researcher support, which in turn could negatively affect the tourism program itself. To address this, we have habituated a separate group of chimpanzees, the S group, specifically for ecotourism purposes, leaving the M group for research. For the M group, we also organize small study tours—no more than three times a year—with proceeds going to the NFA.
In addition, in response to an NFA’s request to increase the number of chimpanzee groups available for tourism, we are working on the habituation of the chimpanzee population south of the Kalinzu Forest. This is meant not only to increase income from tourism, but also to prevent damage to the chimpanzees in the S population due to over-tourism.
Hut for tourists
Tourists observing a chimpanzee in a tree
Tourists cooking matoke with villagers
Ranging of chimpanzee groups
