Bwindi Mountain Gorilla Families
Bwindi Mountain Gorilla Families ; First of all ,Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park is one of the four national parks in the entire world where endangered mountain gorillas can be encountered and those national parks are located in three countries Uganda ,Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo .Of which Uganda is the most popular destination that ranks with half the population of the mountain gorillas that still exists in the wild with over 600 individuals of the total over 1064 members .Therefore ,the four national parks where these unique species can be found or seen include Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park both located in the southwestern region of Uganda, Volcanoes National park in Rwanda and Virunga National park in Congo ,remember countries where these mountain gorillas exist have become one of the top visited destinations because Gorillas are the most sought creature on planet earth with their nice looking bodies ,leave alone that are also said to share 98% DNA to humans. Moreover, its privilege to encounter these great mountain gorillas in their nature environment as you observe their memorable life style of building their nests on the tree branches and on the ground during evening time, watch them playing around, grooming their young ones among the rest thus quite incredible life time experience one wouldn’t miss to add on his tour package to Uganda safari tours /Uganda Primates tours.
However, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park a great destination for mountain gorillas ever sought creatures on planet .Bwindi gorillas are splintered in four habituation gorilla sectors where Gorilla trekking takes place including Buhoma ,Rushaga ,Ruhija and Nkuringo gorilla sector .The park has a total number of 21 habituated gorilla families so far recorded and as the number goes on increasing led to increase of gorilla families in the park ,splintered in four gorilla sectors of the park as mentioned above .Since Uganda hosts or blessed with two Gorilla national park Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga gorilla national park ,Mgahinga also boosts with two Gorilla families –groups that is Nyakagezi and Hirwa gorilla family.
Bwindi Gorilla families include;
In fact, these gorilla families have been habituated for gorilla trekking-tracking an hour’s activity accompanied by the park ranger as well as Gorilla habituation. Gorilla habituation experience is also an incredible experience where primate lovers wouldn’t miss to combine with Your Uganda Wildlife Safaris, habituation is a process taken under training of mountain gorillas to get used with human presence, the process takes 2 to 3 years till further notice that gorillas are free for tourism. In Gorilla habituation experience only allows four persons to engage in the activity and it’s a whole day activity done with researchers and park rangers. Gorilla trekking is for maximum of 8 people and an hour is given to the trackers to spend with gorillas as you enjoy their social life. Note this, Gorilla trekking or habituation requires one to be physically fit to ascend and descend through thick dense forest. More so, Gorillas can be reached when holding a valid permit which can be booked in advance before you arrive in Uganda mostly in the peak season of June and September and December to February. Bwindi –Gorilla permit costs USD700 per person for foreign nonresident and USD600 foreign resident.
Bwindi mountain gorilla families are listed as follows;
Rushegura Families –Group
Rushegura families –group is one of the 21 Bwindi gorilla families with 19 members in total led by the one silverback Mwarima, a brother to former silverback in Habinyanja called Rwansigazi. The family is named after a place where these two brothers separated from their own independent group. The group got together in 2002 after one silver back from the Habinyanja family, decided to quiet away and start his only family with a number of 12 members including 5 females. In 2010 the number increased from 12 to 19 members, the family led by a calm and friendly silverback. Above all, known as the calmest family in Bwindi forest. This family could always migrate to Congo but always returned, this gorilla family is known for wandering in closer villages and lodges at the time thus making it the calmest family in Buhoma and Bwindi at large.
Habinyanja Gorilla Group /Family
Habinyanja Gorilla group began in 1997 and was the most visited gorilla family by the tourism in 1999.The word Habinyanja derives from a local word Nyanja which means ‘’water’’, it’s one of the swamp in the forest where this group was found. The group comprises of 17 members with 2 silver backs and the time the gorilla family was habituated, led by one dominant silverback called Munguris a local word meaning ‘’old man’’ who later passed on due to his late age. Later on he inherited by his two brothers Mwirima and Rwansigazi who took over leadership to lead the family then later on the two did not agree ruling the gorilla family.
Rwansigazi love travelling well Mwirima loved to stay at a near range with the family members this lead to their separation in 2002.Therefore, the gorilla family that stayed with Rwansigazi was called Habinyanja, but Rwansigazi gave up his leadership skills to Makara the Dominate silverback who is now in the power. This gorilla family-group is located in Buhoma.
Mubare Gorilla Family
Mubare Gorilla Family is positioned in the forest in the Mubare hills meaning stone in the local language with 8 individuals led silverback. It was already for tourism in 1993 and started with 18 members, Ruhondenza being the leader of the group. For the time of habituation, the family has faced a misfortune of raids by the great mountain gorilla family kidnappers which caused death within the group in the year 2012 when the Gorilla group members were kidnapped.
However, Ruhondenza the leader tried to fight them but because of being old in age was over powered thus leading to his undesirable sadness in his heart. History proves that Ruhondenza dead in his sleep because of his unbearable sadness and his sleep because of his unbearable sadness and his grave has become also a touristic site visited by the tourists. The group had 5 members who were left by Ruhondenza after roll it increased to 8 members led by Alpha the silverback called Kanyonyi.
Bitukura gorilla family
Bitukura gorilla family so far has 14 members a group which were first sighted in 2007 with its original number of 24 members near the water area ‘’river’ where the family was located. The habituation process didn’t take so long like any other habituation which takes a period of 2 years. The family has a close bond and do share with the Kyaguliro family.
The Bitukura gorilla family popular known to be peacefully, playful which makes them to build togetherness with other members, although it has 4 silverbacks but the group is led by the second youngest silverback called ‘’Ndahura’’ who took over power from Karumazi who has grown in age now and could no longer fight for the group. Although the family faces many challenges of trails, Bitukura is happier than before and in 2013 when they received new members in the family. This gorilla family is found in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi.
Oruzogo family
Oruzogo gorilla family, found in Ruhija sector with 25 members including 2 silverbacks and was established in 2011 by the ‘’UWA’’ Uganda Wildlife Authority, second habituated group in Ruhija sector. This Oruzogo group is led by Tebirikwata one of the oldest Gorilla in the family-group. Since 2011 the family has increased with more members, due to increases of child birth by the elder females ‘’Ntumurangi’’ ,Musi both in the same year ,also another moments of joy happened to come in 2013 when Kankoba gave birth to twins .The family is popular among other families because of its playful ways and energetic characters .This group comprises of family members with different names derives from local names likes Busungu meaning short tempered .Bwoba coward ,kakanga ‘’the giant one’’
Kyaguliro family group
Kyaguliro family group, is one of the most visited gorilla groups after its habituation in 1999.This group was set aside for research and study purposes by Max Planck institute by evolutional of Anthropology. The group is located in Ruhija sector, comprising of 15 members including 2 silverbacks, led by an aging silverback ZEUS who was banished in the forest by Rukina and later passed on. This group has suffered a lot ever since Rukina who was the leader after Zeus was announced dead in 2015.
He had made the age of 31 years old and soon later he was replaced by a silver back called Rukara who now leads the group of 15 members. This gorilla group has helped a number of many researchers and conservation to learn about the differences in great mountain gorillas with those in Virunga Volcanoes national park.
Nkuringo Gorilla Group
Nkuringo Gorilla Group, the word ‘’Nkuringo’’ is derived from the word hills ,located in the areas of Kisoro and Bwindi the Nkuringo sector which was launched in 2004 ,Nkuringo consists of one family group .This gorilla family has the most challenging trailheads of Gorilla trekking but one of the most rewarding and ideal trek to enjoy in life time experience .The family is led by one of the silverback Alpha named after the word ‘’Nkuringo ‘’ ,later died in 2004 after a successful habituation .He left two elderly sons ,Rafiki meaning friend in Kiswahili ‘ and safari the elder brother who took over leadership and could manage family firm both through hard times and seasons of happiness and during his reign the family ,recently the family welcomed two bay twins namely Katungi and Muhoza ,although katungi could not live to see his second birthday because died earlier .The Nkuringo Gorilla group consists of 19 members including 2 silverbacks.
Mishaya Gorilla Family
Mishaya Gorilla Family; is a group of 12 members who can be visited daily by 8 people. The group is known as a fighter because of the leader it had a long time ago and its name was got after Mishaya the silverback who was known as a fighter, interacting with other family gorillas. But later he broke away from Nshongi family with 10 members to begin his own family.
Mishaya is known as a great fighter, in 2010 he began a fight which lead him to be injured and he lost one of his infants but thanks to these critically endangered mountain gorillas. Although later died in 2014. The family is now under leadership of Mwine the silverback and is located in Rushaga sector Bwindi Mountain Gorilla Families.
Nshongi Gorilla Family
Nshongi Gorilla family; This family is the biggest gorilla group in Rushaga sector, already open for the visits which was officially opened in 2009 with the biggest habituation group, a group was named after River Nshongi where it was first sighted. Nshongi derives from local word Omushongi Gwobuki which means honey at the same time referred to the deep brownish color of the water in the river.
This gorilla family was led by Nshongi the silverback with over 36 members who were visited daily and later the group divided in 2010 when Mishaya broke off with 10 members to form his own after two years later in 2010.Bweza ‘’silverback decided to broke off with some members to form another group, the family he separated to was left with only 26 members.
Kahungye Family Group
Kahungye; This family-group comprises of 13 members with 3 silverbacks and one of the newest mountain Gorilla group in the Rushaga sector. It was launched in 2011 after a successful habituation process, before it had 27 members with 3 silverbacks. However, a member of the family Busingye got disconnected with some members, something which caused the family to split off and reducing the number to 13 members. Kahungye group now lead by a silverback called ‘’Gwigi’’ local word meaning ‘’door’’.
Bweza Gorilla Group
Bweza is also one of the largest habituation group in Bwindi, which broke off from Mishaya and formed his own group in 2012.This gorilla family is located in Rushaga sector of Bwindi.
Busingye Gorilla Family
Busingye is positioned in the Rushaga sector one of the four gorilla sectors of Bwindi. This group is named after the silverback Busingye. Busingye is in local word meaning peace. Busingye is aggressive species who develops a fight among other Gorilla family group. He got separated from the Kahungye family group in 2021 with 7 members.
Take a visit to Uganda safaris and have a chance of encounter in different habituated gorilla families to enjoy the incredible lifestyle of mountain gorillas that are left in the world of which Bwindi is blessed with half of the population that still exists. Uganda Gorilla trekking cost USD700 per person per day.
