Overview
The Sebitoli chimpanzee community, located in the northern sector of Kibale National Park, is one of several known communities of wild chimpanzees in Uganda. The Sebitoli area is known for its chimpanzee population, making it a crucial site for research and conservation, particularly due to the unique challenges and opportunities it presents for understanding chimpanzee behavior and human-wildlife interactions. The Sebitoli chimpanzees live in a mosaic habitat that includes forest fragments, cultivated fields, and tea plantations; an environment that puts them in closer and more frequent contact with human activities than many other chimpanzee communities in Uganda. It was founded in 2008 as the Sebitoli Chimpanzee Project by Sabrina and Jean-Michel Krief to understand how chimpanzees survive in human-dominated landscapes. The project is part of a broader effort by the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in France and works closely with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Makerere University.
The Sebitoli area, where the Sebitoli chimpanzee community lives, supports a diverse mix of flora and fauna. Its location in a transitional zone between tropical forests and human-altered landscapes creates a unique environment. The flora of Sebitoli consists of a mid-altitude moist evergreen forest, interspersed with a secondary forest, fruiting trees, canopy, shrubs, lianas, herbaceous plants, and cultivated crops. Chimpanzees depend heavily on wild fruit trees however they can also raid some of the cultivated crops just like other wildlife in the Sebitoli area.
Sebitoli being a swamp and located near the Kibale Forest National Park makes it a haven for several mammals, especially primates and birds. Expect to spot chimpanzees, red colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, bushbabies, pottos, genets, duikers, with the occasional elephants, buffaloes, civets, and elephants; birds like dusky crimsonwing, red-faced woodland warbler, black-capped apalis, collared apalis, blue-headed sunbird, African pitta, purple-breasted sunbird, green-breasted pitta, black and white casqued hornbill, African grey parrot, shoebill, great blue turaco, black bee-eater, white-napped pigeon, and many more; reptiles like snakes, lizards, amphibian, butterflies, and insects. While biodiversity remains high, species composition and behavior are shaped by edge effects, habitat disturbance, and human activity.
ACTIVITIES
Research and Monitoring
While the core activity in Sebitoli is chimpanzee research and monitoring led by the Sebitoli Chimpanzee Project, visitors can enjoy other activities in Kibale Forest National Park. Researchers conduct long-term observations of chimpanzees to better understand their behavior, ecology, and health with habituation ongoing though not in the same style as the groups in Kibale. The Sebitoli team works closely with local communities, recognizing that conservation cannot succeed without community support.
Chimpanzee habituation
Habituation is the process of training the chimpanzees to get used to having humans around them as they go about their days and this normally takes about 3 years after which they can be opened up to tracking. With a guide, a research team and ranger tourists find the chimpanzees intended for habituation and once found they are given 4 hours with them. During these 4hours, you will observe how they look after their young ones, how they copulate, feed, hunt, patrol, and build their nests within their habitat, you are allowed to take pictures to keep the memory of the process.
Chimpanzee trekking
Is one of the main activities in the park, and it involves walking and looking for the habituated chimpanzees in the forest which can take about 2-5hours depending on their location, and once found, tourists will be given an hour with them in their habitat to observe how they live, nest, feed and take care of each other. Tourists are also allowed to take pictures of the experience and this is also done in the presence of a ranger and guide to ensure smooth trekking and protect the primates.
Birding
With over 350 bird species, birders have enough to view when out looking for the beautiful creatures as the forest is one of Uganda’s most biodiverse habitats making it a premier birding destination catering to common, migratory, and endemic birds. Trails like the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary and Kanyanchu have multiple options for viewing the birds, especially in the morning when they are most active.
Bigodi wetland sanctuary
Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a project of the local community to help preserve and improve the standards of living in the area. Accompanied by a local guide you will learn more about the different cultures, local medicines, and traditional life. Storytelling will be done by the community people, plus the history and issues being faced by the developing community will also be looked at and this normally takes about 2-3 hours.
Guided nature walks
These guided nature walks give a tourist a chance to have a more intimate experience with the park with fresh air and beautiful flora to ensure the moment is blissful. During the walks with a guide, expect to see some primates, animals, and birds plus the vegetation through trails like the Bigodi wetland, Kanyanchu, Amabeere cave, and forest.