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GORILLA FAMILIES IN UGANDA

Lets delve into the fascinating world of gorilla families in Uganda. Uganda, a landlocked country in East Africa, is known for its diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes. Among its most attractive inhabitants are the endangered mountain gorillas, which attract travelers from all corners of the world. In this blog, we’ll introduce you to some of the prominent gorilla families that call Uganda’s lush forests home, giving you an insight into their fascinating lives and the unforgettable encounters they offer intrepid adventurers like you.

Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) are one of two subspecies of eastern gorillas and are found only in the dense jungles of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Characterized by thick black fur and massive builds, these majestic creatures share about 98% of their DNA with humans, making them one of our closest relatives in the animal kingdom.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – a sanctuary for gorillas

Located in southwestern Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to nearly half of the world’s remaining population of mountain gorillas. The park’s dense, mist-shrouded forests provide an ideal environment for these gentle giants to thrive.

Mubare-Buhoma Gorilla Family

Due to their location, this is the easiest family to trace in Bwindi. The name Mubare was derived from the first gorilla trackers in the area. The group currently has 8 members led by Kanyonyi. This is the oldest gorilla group in Uganda, having been opened back in 1993. Originally led by Ruhondeza, the number has dwindled over the years from 18 members when they were first spotted. Fights, deaths and migration of members to other groups left about 5 by 2012.

Ruhondez’s leadership ended when another group attacked and took his female in 2012. Ruhondeza lived for over 50 years and continued to be followed by research until his death. His grave is marked and can be found by a guide.

Habinyanja – Buhoma (Bwindi) gorilla family

This gorilla group is among the first to be made accessible to tourists. The group has 17 members and is led by Makara, who replaced Habinyanja. This group was habituated in 1997 and then led by the silverback Mugurisi (Old Man). The group was named “Habinyanja” (water place) in Rukiza because they were first spotted near a swamp in Bwindi. After he died of old age, Mugurisi was replaced by his two brothers, Rwansigazi and Mwirima, who had different personality traits. Mwirima liked to stay within a certain range, while Rwansigazi loved to move around in different parts of the forest. In 2002, the two brothers parted amicably. Rwansigazi left with part of the group and kept the name “Habinyanja”, while the Mirimas group was named the Rushegura family.

Rushegura Gorilla Family – Buhoma (Bwindi)

The Rushegura group has 19 members, including one silverback. This is the group that formed when Rwansigazi and Mwirima split from the larger Habinyanja group in 2002. The name Rushegura is derived from “Ebishegura”, a type of tree common in the family’s territory. Mwirima’s ability to create a stable and peaceful family is admirable as the number of individuals increased from 12 to 19 by April 2010. At around 25 years of age, Mwirima is strong and dominant, never shying away from confronting wild groups that threaten his authority. Due to the stability and calmness of the groups, they are not shy around people and can be seen around the cottage gardens.

Bitukuri Gorilla Family – Ruhija (Bwindi)

The Bitukura family has 14 individuals out of the original 24. The group is led by Ndahura, who took over from the now retired Karamuzi. The group, which also has three other silverbacks, was named after a river near their territory. While it takes 2 years or more for mountain gorillas to get used to it, this family took just 15 months. Visitors were first allowed in October 2008, but the group already had frequent encounters with park rangers whenever they connected with the already habituated Kyaguriro family.

Oruzogo – Ruhija Gorilla Family (Bwindi)

With 25 members, it’s a large group by the usual standards. It is the second family in the Ruhija area and includes two silverbacks. Tibirikwata leads the group which first opened to visitors in 2011. The group has grown and is much loved by visitors due to its playful cubs which come from multiple births of bitches Ntamurungi (June 2011), Musi (October 2011) and Kakoba (March 2012) .

Nkuringo Gorilla Family – Nkuringo (Bwindi)

Nkuringo the great silverback initially led this group, which now includes 19 individuals. After his death in 2008, he left two silver Rafiki and Safari. Safari, his son took over from him. The group was first spotted near a round hill, hence the name “Nkuringo” in Rukiza. Because the group lived near villages outside the park, they often encountered humans and often sneaked in to eat crops, causing conflict. In 2008, it was decided to habituate the group so that the community could benefit from tourism and the conservation of the gorillas would bring economic opportunities for them.

Nshongi – Rushaga Gorilla Family (Bwindi)

By the time the group was opened to visitors and tourists in 2009, the Nshongi family had 37 individuals – the largest it had ever been. It currently has 26 individuals and 4 silverbacks. The family was first spotted near the river, hence the name Nsongi (referring to the rich honey color of the river). When it opened for tourism in September 2009, the family was unique due to its large size. Before they broke up in 2010, the family lived in harmony, despite many silver backs. The Nshongi group under the dominant silver Nshongi remained with 26 individuals, while the silver Mishaya moved away with 10 individuals.

Mishaya Gorilla Family – Rushaga (Bwindi)

When Mishaya left Nshongi in 2010, he developed a reputation for fighting other gorilla families not only to protect his own, but also to steal females from his neighbors. He managed to collect several females, but was injured in one of the fights with a wild gorilla family (unaccustomed). Fortunately, he was treated by gorilla conservation doctors nearby. The group now has 12 individuals, with Mishaya as the only dominant silverback.

Kahungye-Rushaga Gorilla Family (Bwindi)

This group has 13 members including 3 silver ones led by Rumansi. Ruhamuka and Rwigi are other old men. The group was opened to visitors only recently (2011). The group had 27 members when they got used, but split up shortly after forming another group, Busingye. The Kahungye group is led by “Gwigi” (door in the local dialect).

Bweza Gorilla Family – Rushaga (Bwindi)

This group was opened to visitors in 2012. The group evolved from the Nshongi gorilla family, which was the largest family ever used in Bwindi. When Silverback Mishaya split from Nshongi in 2010, Bweza left it two years later (2012) with six members. The group contains 9 individuals still led by Bweza.

Busingye-Rushaga Gorilla Family (Bwindi)

This group opened to visitors in 2013. Busingye leads this group of 9 members after separating from the Kahungye family in 2012. Although his name means peace, Busingye is known for frequent fights and stealing women from neighbouring gorilla groups. He is very ambitious, dominant and uses every opportunity to show his strength.

Kyaguriro Gorilla Family – (Ruhija)

The Kyaguriro group consists of 15 members led by Rukina, who has seized the power of the old Zeus. The group of gorillas has been reserved for research by conservationists and visitors are allowed limited access. Scientists from this group came up with interesting findings. Their findings show some behavioral differences between Ugandan gorilla families, Rwandan gorilla families, and Congolese gorilla families.

Nyakagezi Gorilla Family – (Mgahinga)

There is only one habituated group of gorillas in Mgahinga National Park. The group is unpredictable and often migrates to Rwanda and the Congo, led by Mark the dominant Silverback. In addition to Mark, there are 2 other silverbacks in the group of 10. Their unpredictable movements can make tracking a family difficult. Although they are currently settled in Uganda, you need to contact the authorities through a travel agent to know their exact location.

Gorilla Trekking: A Life-Changing Adventure

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that will leave a lasting impact on any traveler. Before embarking on the trek, visitors are briefed by experienced guides on gorilla etiquette and conservation efforts to ensure a positive and minimal impact encounter with these gentle giants.

Conservation efforts

Uganda, along with other countries in the region, has taken significant steps to protect endangered gorilla populations. Conservation efforts, including anti-poaching initiatives and community projects, have played a vital role in stabilizing and even increasing gorilla populations in recent years.

Gorilla families in Uganda offer a fascinating insight into the complex social lives of these magnificent creatures. Meeting them in their natural habitat is a humbling experience that instills a sense of responsibility to protect and preserve their fragile ecosystems. By choosing to go on a gorilla trekking adventure with Great Explorers Safaris, you are not only making a dream come true, but also helping to protect these incredible animals for generations to come. So pack your bags, lace up your boots and let the journey of a lifetime begin![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]