Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes

Uganda

Chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes

I spent 10 days in Uganda in 2021 with Harrier Tours,

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Eastern Gorilla, Gorilla beringei

Two nights in the Ruhija sector in 2021 produced Ruwenzori Sun Squirrel, Carruther’s Mountain SquirrelSpectacled Lesser GalagosL’hoest’s MonkeysBlue MonkeysGuereza ColobusEastern GorillasAngolan and possibly Egyptian Fruit BatsArabian and Ruwenzori Horseshoe Bats and an African Palm Civet.

Kibale National Park

Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Lophocebus albigena

Over two nights in 2021 we found an African Grass Rat, a House Rat, several Thomas’s Dwarf Galagos and East African PottosOlive Baboons, L’hoest’s MonkeysAshy Red Colobus, two African Giant Shrews, Angolan Fruit Bats, Ethiopian Epauletted Fruit Bats, a Bushbuck, a Weyns’ Duiker and a wonderful encounter with a troop of Chimpanzees.

Lake Mburo National Park

Serval, Leptailurus serval

During an overnight stay in 2021 we saw an African Savanna HareStriped Ground Squirrels, a House RatThick-tailed Greater Galago, Olive BaboonsVervetsEgyptian (probably) Slit-faced Bats, a Serval, a probable Servaline GenetCommon Dwarf MongoosePlains ZebrasCommon WarthogsBushpigsAfrican BuffaloCommon ElandBushbuckImpala and Topi.

Mbamba Swamp

Epauletted Fruit Bat, Epomophorus species

We stopped briefly here to see Shoebill Stork, and also saw Spot-necked Otters and an epauletted fruit bat species, probably Wahlberg’s.

Murchison Falls National Park & Budongu Forest

Patas Monkey, Erythrocebus patas


During a night drive at Budongu Forest in 2021 we saw many Demidoff’s Dwarf Galagos, several East African Pottos, and sleeping Olive Baboons and Guereza Colobus. Twenty four hours in the savanna area of Murchison Falls in 2021 was excellent with African ElephantsBunyoro Rabbits, a North African Crested PorcupineStriped Ground SquirrelsKemp’s GerbilsOlive Baboons and Patas Monkeys.

Bunyoro Rabbit, Poelagus marjorita


We also saw Sundevall’s Roundleaf BatsMauritian Tomb BatsEgyptian Slit-faced Bats (probably), Little Free-tailed Bats, two LeopardWhite-tailed Mongoose, three mega rare Pousargues’ MongooseBanded MongooseSide-striped JackalCommon WarthogHippopotamusAfrican Buffalo, abundant Oribi and KobWaterbuckHartebeest and Giraffe.

Semuliki National Park

Semliki Red Colobus, Piliocolobus semlikiensis

Semuliki National Park is primate central. A day here in July 2021 produced De Brazza’s, Dent’s, Blue and Red-tailed Monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, Olive Baboons, Guerza and Semiliki Red Colobus. We also saw an Isabelline Red-legged Sun Squirrel and an Alexander’s Bush Squirrel, Mauritian Tomb Bats and a Giant Pouched Rat.

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

White Rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum

A brief stop here in 2021 to see White Rhinos, also produced Olive Baboons and Tantalus MonkeysCommon WarthogsBushbuck and Kob.

Community Reports

Golden Cat Quest, Take 2, 2023: Wise Birding, 12 days & 47 species including White-bellied Pangolin, Lord Derby’s Anomalure and Black-fronted & Weyn’s Duikers.

Uganda 2023: Michael Johnson, 27 days & 83 species including 21 primates and Egyptian and Pousargues’s Mongooses.

Uganda, 2023: Matt Francey, 16 days & 40 species including  Aardvark, Rwenzori Red Duiker and Bushpig. 

Uganda, 2022Wise Birding, 12 days &  species including Alexander’s CusimanseLord Derby’s Flying Squirrel and Black Fronted Duiker. Plus trail camera images of a Golden Cat.

Uganda & Burundi, 2022Pictus Safaris , 14 days & 38 species including Bunyoro Rabbit and Patas Monkey.

Uganda, 2022: Jonas Livet, 2 weeks & at least 80 species (plus a bunch more possibles) including all 25 of Uganda’s primates,  White-tailed SengiGiant Forest Hog and a Giant Pangolin!

Kibale & Queen Elizabeth NP, 2022: Jens Hauser’s account of finding Golden Cats and another 21 species along the way.

Uganda 2021: Jon Hall with Harrier Tours, 10 days and about 70 species including De Brazza’s Monkey, Ruwenzori Horseshoe Bat, Bushpig and Pousargues’s Mongoose.

Uganda, 2021: Carlos Bocos with Harrier Tours, 2 weeks & 95 species including Ruwenzori Horseshoe Bat,  Black-fronted Duiker (check out the photo … sigh) and many rodents, shrews, bats and primates.

Uganda, 2021: Alex Meyer, 2 weeks & 78 species including 4 galagosUganda Crested MangabeySemliki and Ashy Red ColobusEast African Mole RatLink Rat plus loads more. This is a second report – with very different photos – of the same trip reported on by Tomer below.

Uganda, 2021: Tomer Ben-Yehuda, 2 weeks & a crazy 79 species including 4 galagos, Uganda Crested Mangabey, Semliki and Ashy Red Colobus, East African Mole Rat, Link Rat and some nice bats including Hammer Bat plus loads more.

Uganda, 2019: Wise Bird, 2 weeks & 39 species including Gorilla, Chimpanzee & Serval.

Uganda, 2018: Brett Hartl, 19 days & 57 species including Chequered Elephant Shrew, Black-fronted Duiker and 13 species of primates.

Rwanda and Uganda, 2018: Andy Murch,  2 weeks (or so) & 42 species (with 15 primates) including Uganda Crested Mangabey, Ashy Red Colobus, Red-tailed Monkey, Giant Forest Hog and Black-fronted Duiker.

Uganda, 2018: Bellingham Safaris, 9 days & 23 species including L’Hoest’s Monkey, Giant Forest Hog and Uganda Grass Hare.

Uganda, 2018: Samuel Marlin, 2 weeks & 39 species including Central African Red Colobus and Ugandan Mangabey among 13 confirmed primates, Ruwenzori Sun Squirrel and Alexander’s Dwarf Squirrel.

Uganda, 2017: Bellingham Safaris, 10 days & 25 species including Red-legged Sun SquirrelGiant Forest HogAardwolf and Red-tailed Monkey.

Uganda, 2017: Philip Precey, 2 weeks and 55 species including Grey-cheeked MangabeyPatas MonkeyMarsh Mongoose and Giant Forest Hogs.

Uganda, 2014: Richard Webb, 2 weeks & 50 species including Uganda Crested Mangabey, Marsh Mongoose, Forest Elephant, African Palm Civet and 5 Galago species.

Uganda, 2014: Romain Bocquier, 10 days & 46 species including Eastern Gorilla, Uganda Red Colobus, L’Hoest’s Monkey and Central African Rabbit.

Uganda, 2014: Peregrine Rowse, 17 days & 42 species including Ruwenzori Sun and Carruthers’ Mountain Squirrels, Ruwenzori Red Duiker, L’Hoest’s & De Brazza’s Monkeys and Central African Red Colobus.

Uganda, 2014: Michael Kessler, 3 weeks & 49 species including Johnston’s and Uganda Crested Mangabey and Yellow-backed Duiker.

Uganda, 2012: Coke Smith, 13 days & 31 species including Potto, Patas Monkeys and Red Colobus.

Uganda & Rwanda, 2012: Royle Safaris, 12 days & over 30 species including Giant Forest Hog, Potto and some nice primates.

Uganda & Rwanda, 2012: Royle Safaris, 10 days & 25 species including Water Chevrotain, Carruther’s Mountain Squirrel and a lot of nice primates.

Uganda, 2012: Indri Tours, 12 days & 33 species including Ugandan Grass Hare and a Marsh Mongoose.

Uganda, 2011: Trevor Hardaker, 17 days & 54 species including a Western Tree Hyrax, Peter’s Duiker and a Bunyoro Rabbit.

Uganda, 2010: Charles Hood, 2 weeks & 48 species including Giant Forest Hog, Black-fronted Duiker and Yellow-winged Bat.

Uganda, 2008: Michel Gervais, 2 weeks & 34 mammals including Gorillas, Chimpanzees and an African Palm Civet.

Uganda, 2003: Steve Anyon-Smith, 6 weeks & 65 mammals.

Uganda, 2002: Don Roberson, 2 weeks.

Uganda, 2001: Stefan Lithner, 3 weeks and 40 mammals.

 

Also See

First Wild Dog sighting in Uganda since the 1980s, June 2023

Listen to Harriet Kemigisha (Harrier Tours) on the mammalwatching Podcast, May 2023

Two observations of Pousargues’s Mongoose in Murchison Falls National Park, August 2021

Help us ID Mammals from Uganda: a couple mongooses, a couple of genets, 2 mice, a gerbil and a squirrel, February 2021

Tantalus or vervet monkeys? February, 2021

Reccomended guide in Uganda: RFI October, 2020

African Golden Cat at Bwindi with more details here November, 2017

Discussion on primate taxonomy in Uganda (see the comments) November, 2014

Pousargues’s Mongoose, Semliki July, 2013

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