The PICC-Rafiki photography students have been capturing beautiful images of the mountain gorillas in Buhoma-Bwindi.
Humans are not the only ones appreciating the peaceful, safe and welcoming space in SW Uganda that our PICC conservation partner, Rafiki Memorial Wildlife Conservation Initiative, has created next to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. A couple of the local mountain gorilla families now consider the Sahaya Rafiki Guesthouse grounds their own comfortable and private space to feed and relax. Often the Rushegura gorilla family spends time on the adjacent property that is being reforested with endemic plant species that are gorilla favorites. Occasionally the Katwe family comes as well!
The Guesthouse architect, builder and landscaper, Isaac Atuheire, was thoughtful to preserve old trees and native plants as he created the beautiful landscaping leading up to the Guesthouse. The gorillas are pleased with his efforts! As the old trees come into fruit they are attracting the mountain gorillas, baboons, red-tailed monkeys and birds. Isaac and the PICC-Rafiki photography students have sent us amazing images of the gorilla family relaxing by the stream, feeding on the shrubs and climbing the tree to gorge on the plentiful fruit. They are even spending the night near the Guesthouse to be “first in line” for the fruit in the morning!
Video: The Rafiki staff and PICC-Rafiki photography students are dedicated to respectfully documenting the gorillas’ time at the Sahaya Rafiki Guesthouse grounds. They want to better understand how to encourage the regrowth of the previously farmed land to once again become rich habitat for mountain gorillas. In this video by Isaac Atuheire you can see the silverback male relaxing by the stream while the rest of his family was feeding in the tree next to the path. The silverback males are always vigilant to keep their family safe. Note: the Uganda Wildlife Authority Rangers keep a close eye on all the gorilla families and were onsite to monitor the gorillas and people while the gorillas were enjoying the Sahaya Rafiki Guesthouse property. Isaac used the zoom on his phone to be able to remain a respectful distance from the animals. VC: Isaac Atuheire, March 12, 2023.
In August of 2022, some of the PICC team traveled to the lovely mountain village of Buhoma (at the north gate of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda). Partnering with Rafiki Memorial Wildlife Conservation Initiative (Rafiki), they worked with a group of incredibly talented students and were impressed with the students’ commitment to their art and wildlife conservation. Mushamba Moses, Rafiki’s founder and director, is a gifted artist himself and has used his enthusiasm for both art and mountain gorilla conservation to mentor many students in becoming skilled artists and leaders in their community.
PICC taught both primary school children and older teenagers – building new knowledge and skills in photography, field sketching, storytelling, primate behavior and habitat needs, and conservation actions. With every student that we support, we always have a goal of empowering them to continue using their new skills to develop conservation-compatible careers. Image (R) of 8 mountain gorillas feeding in a fruit tree by Robert Tweheyo, March 2023
Wildlife Photography
Approximately 20 Rafiki Arts students took part in the August PICC photography session, learning how to use a DSLR camera, understand light and composition, and how to find beautiful images in the surrounding environment. Because we aim to support sustainable learning and skill development, we provided Rafiki Arts with a high-quality photo printer and a Canon Rebel DSLR camera with a zoom lens. Mushamba and some of the students with an interest in photography have been taking advantage of using the camera to communicate some of the conservation and social development projects that they are working on. Look for some of their photographs in the Rafiki Art Gallery when visiting Buhoma!
PICC-Rafiki photography students, August 2022
Cyril Tumwiine, a college graduate in economics, took part in the August program. One evening last week, Cyril got a message from Isaac that the gorillas had gone to sleep near the Guesthouse. Early the next morning, Cyril took the Canon Rebel camera with the zoom lens to check on the gorillas. He was rewarded with an incredible experience of watching the entire family of 2 silverbacks, young ones, and a mom with an infant, relaxing, feeding, and climbing into the fruit tree. We are excited to see his development as a photographer and to be so successful at taking stunning images of the gorillas.
We were so pleased and proud of the Rafiki students when we received the videos and photographs in this post, from March 11 & 12, 2023! They demonstrate a sustained competence and confidence in taking wildlife photographs, quietly and respectfully keeping a distance by using their zoom capabilities, uploading image files on the computer, and using the images and video to educate the public on how they are living in harmony with endangered wildlife.
Sahaya Rafiki Guesthouse
One remarkable part of our stay in Buhoma was staying at the Sahaya Rafiki Guesthouse – part boutique hotel, part homestay – comfortable, clean and quiet lodging within a short walk to the entrance of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. With Mushamba and his wife Shivan as our hosts, we were treated like family and left feeling truly a part of the community. The Guesthouse was constructed with non-native eucalyptus trees that had been farmed on the land adjacent to the National Park, not only providing timber for the structure and the gorgeous handmade furniture, but also clearing the land for the reintroduction of native plants that provide food and shelter to the mountain gorillas and a diversity of other wildlife.
Even when under construction, mountain gorillas, black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys and baboons were seen around the Guesthouse. These species, and many more are now part of the welcoming environment created by Mushamba and Isaac. The mountain gorillas are frequently taking advantage of the plants reestablishing in the adjacent property, and even chimpanzees can be heard in the distant hills, although they are extremely shy and never seen in this part of the forest. If you sit quietly in the evening you can see bats and other nocturnal animals come out of the forest edges. Beautiful birds, butterflies, small, nonpoisonous snakes, gorgeous bright blue lizards, and colorful flowers are seen from the comfortable deck that is just feet from the National Park.