The wildlife and animals in Semuliki
Semuliki is a haven for roughly 60 mammal species that live inside the park’s savannah and forest grasslands cover, the park is home both to mammals and primates. Antelopes, blue duikers, forest Beecroft’s flying squirrels, little collared fruit bats, pygmy squirrels, water chevrotain, bay duikers, African buffalo, leopard, hippopotamus, mona monkey, water chevrotain, bush babies, African civet, African elephant, bay duikers, and many more are among the mammals. The black and white colobus monkey, chimps, olive baboons, red tailed monkey, blue monkey, vervet, galagos, and Pottos are among the primates found in Semuliki National Park.
Birds in Semuliki National Park
Around 441 bird species have been identified in Semuliki, which represents 66% of the country’s forest bird species and 40% of all the bird species in Uganda. The list is expanded to include the grassland and riverine environment east of the park. There are 35 species unique to three birding sites in Uganda, and 46 that are only found in the Guinea-Congo biome. The Nkulengu Rail, Yellow-Throated cuckoo, whistling Hornbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Black Dwarf Hornbill, White-crested Hornbill, Black-casqued wattled Hornbill, Zenker’s Honeyguide, Swamp palm bulbul, Western Green Tinkerbird, Grey-throated Barbet, Fine-banded woodpecker, Gabon woodpecker, Green-tailed Bristelbill, Equatorial Akalat, Forest Robin, Red-throated Alethe, Stripe-breasted Tit, Spotted-breasted ibis, White-bellied Robin-chat, Green Hylia, Hartlaub’s duck and Red-rumped Tinkerbird are five of the species that are unique to the Albertine rift.
Sempaya Hot Springs
Visitors can explore both the female and male hot springs at these popular hot springs in the park. The female hot spring, known locally as “Nyasimbi” to mean “female ancestors,” is the hotter of the two hot springs, with water rising at 103 ° C from a huge rock. Sulphur out from rocks reacting with the water causes the rotten egg smell. The female hot spring is a five-minute walk out from trailhead, making it a simple hike for park visitors.
The male hot spring at Sempaya is known locally as “Bintente.” Only a two-minute drive separates the male and female hot springs. It is positioned in a lush, marshy environment. The hot spring is about 12 meters in diameter and is mainly characterized by vapor evaporating from a lake-like water pool. A traditional hut just few meters from the hot spring exists to serve as a shrine, in which local residents place money before praying. The Sempaya hot springs are culturally significant to the people who live near Semuliki National Park.
Chimpanzees
The marshy forests which cover the majority of the park are home to primates, particularly chimps. Despite extensive research and habituation, chimps are rarely observed on the ground and spend the majority of their time in the treetops. Thank you to the University of India for their efforts in acclimating the chimps in the Semliki game reserve. Other primates you might see in the forests include Baboons, central African red colobus monkeys, blue, de brazza’s, red-tailed, vervet, and Dent’s Mona Monkey.
Vegetation Cover
Beautiful short open grassland and the evergreen semuliki forestland, which is an extension of the Ituri forest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, make up the park’s gorgeous vegetation cover, which serves as a habitat for a variety of wildlife species.
Bambuti Pygmies
The Ituri forest in the Congo basins is where the Batwa People who live close to Semuliki National Park evolved. They are highly unique and social people despite being short in height. They were fruit gatherers, hunters, leaf eaters, and hut builders who lived for thousands of years in the Semuliki Forest. However the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) drove the Batwa out of the forest and transferred them to the nearby community of Ntandi in order to preserve Semuliki Forest and its wildlife. In an effort to raise their level of living, the park has provided them temporary housing here. They are now being made more aware of the world and inspired to act like regular people. The Batwa are able to show tourists how they lived in the past from this location. Also, they present musical, theatrical, and dance events that showcase their rich culture and traditions
Best time to visit Semuliki National Park
All seasons are welcome at the Semuliki National Park. However, the greatest times to travel are from April to June and from July to September, which are the dry seasons. Since there’s less mud inside the park during the dry months, driving across it is smoother. It is challenging to go throughout the park during the rainy season that lasts from December through March and from October to November. As when the rains fill the rivers, some portions of the park become waterlogged.