By Paul Siololo - Guide, Greystoke Mahale
Mahale Mountain National Park is a tourist attraction due to high populations of different species of primates. Some of these primate species are only found in this park and Gombe stream National Park, both are on the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika.
The higher primate densities here in Mahale are probably due to suitable geographical location that has created good habitat and sufficient fruits or food to these primates. There are about eight species of primates found in Mahale. The most popular one is the chimpanzees. Others include Yellow baboon, Vervet monkeys, Red colobus and black and white colobus, Red tailed monkey, silver back monkey and two nocturnal species, the great and lesser bush-babies. Most of these species are found in the dense forests in the Mahale Mountains to the side toward Lake Tanganyika. The western sides of the Mahale Mountains experience a lot of rainfall annually, because of humid air that flows from Lake Tanganyika toward the Mahale mountains. As a result there is a higher diversity of vegetation, which supports an amazing great diversity of primate species.
So, when one plans a trip to Mahale think and look to enjoy impeccable behavioral aspects of the other Mahales primates. Of course, with chimpanzees being the top in the list.
