Mountain Gorilla Families in Uganda

Uganda has 16 gorilla groups or families habituated to touring while one is for exploration. Gorilla families in Uganda include Rushegura, Habinyanja, Mubare, Nkuringo, Bitukura, Oruzogo, Mishaya, Nshongi, Kahungye, and lately the new groups called Busingye and Bweza. Kyaguriro gorilla group located in Ruhija is for exploration. Mountain gorilla habituation takes about 2-3 times and below are some of the gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Mubare Gorilla Family

  • Family size 9 members including one silverback
  • Position Buhoma

Mubare is the oldest accustomed gorilla group in Uganda. It was planted in the Mubare hills, deep in the Bwindi timber, and was completely affected in 1993. The group started with 12 family members, led by the dominant silverback Ruhondeza. Many times, the group grew to 18 individuals. Unfortunately, due to fights with wild gorilla groups and the loss of members

Mubare Gorilla Family in the Buhoma side of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was the first of the Uganda mountain gorillas to be habituated in 1998. It was first observed by trackers around the Mubare hills that are to be planted deep in Bwindi’s Impenetrable forestland. It was led by the late Ruhondeza who failed in 2013 after a serious fight with a black reverse in the family. He’d to surrender and left the family under a black reverse who has raided and expanded the family from 5 members to 9 members as of now

The dominant silverback in the group also was the late Ruhondeza and back he ruled a family with over 18 gorillas. Over time his family has shrunk in number. This was because as he progressed, he noway prepped a successor. Rhonda was a jealous kind of silverback. The UWA trackers long suspected that he’d kill off any forthcoming blackbacks who would be tempted to convert his position.

2009 was a particularly hard time for this family with the loss of three of its members. Beforehand the time one of the adult ladies failed of a fracture to the cranium. She left behind an atomic child of six months, whom the group tried to watch for. The baby was planted dead on Ruhondeza’s bed by trackers one morning. As the little mite hadn’t been weaned and couldn’t eat.

From 18 members, the group continued to lose members until they were only five members. In March 2012, Mubare under Ruhondeza was attached by a wild unhabituated gorilla group defeating Ruhondeza and taking away some ladies from the group. Out of frustration, Ruhondeza had to quit the leadership of the group and took a retreat in the near community forestland. Because the community loved him so much, they noway chased him down and Uganda wildlife Authority kept on Monitoring him. Latterly on, he’d to pass down and was planted dead in sleep. He was given a decent burial near UWA headquarters and if you visit Buhoma, kindly ask our companion to show you the grave of this great silverback.

The successor incontinently shouldered an exercise of expanding the family and bringing back the glory. He attacked another family adding the family members to nine members. Who knows, perhaps he’ll continue to expand the family.

Gorilla Families in Uganda

Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari

Habinyanja Gorilla Family – Gorilla Families in Uganda

  • Family size 15 members including 2 silverbacks
  • Position Buhoma

The Habinyanja group was first visited by excursionists in 1999. The name comes from “ Nyanja” which is the original word for‘ body of water. It refers to the swamp in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest where the group was first sighted. Habinyanja is a fascinating family with a lot of drama and commotion. This is caused by the power struggles between the dominant silverbacks and fights for the family leadership. The adult ladies are led by the shrewd nascence lady called Kisho

Habinyanja group of gorillas is among the three accustomed gorilla families that can be tripped from Buhoma. To reach the starting point, you occasionally need to drive for 45 twinkles towards the neck or 30 twinkles to reach the trailhead at Nyamishaba vill.

Habinyanja Gorilla Family was habituated in 1997 and the first group of excursionists tracked this gorilla family in 1999. Habinyanja Group derives its name from the Rukiga word “ Nyanja” which means “ a place with water”. The reason is that it was first seen near swamp ponds in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Prominent members of Habinyanja family are, Makara, Rwansigazi, Maraya, Kisho, Nabukye, Binyonko, Rugyendi, Nyamuhango, Elsa, Hamusini, Hakato, Gacyaro and Bangenyi. This gorilla group is characterized by power struggles and schemes within the group coupled with members who are willing to promote tone-interest at the threat of group interests. This has in turn redounded in dramatic conduct over time.

At the time of heroinism, Mugurisi which means “ Old man” in Rikiga was the dominant silverback amidst his old age. The most intriguing part of this was that at the time of heroinism, Mugirisi was commanding a big group of 30 members which is relatively big compared to other families whether affected or not affected. As time went by, Mugurisi had to pass down because of old age.

This latterly caused race controversies as the siblings were fighting for the leadership of the family. This was because, at the time of Mugurusi’s death, the family had four silverbacks staying in the cue of who would succeed their father. These silverbacks were Rwansigazi which means “Immature boy”, Mwirima which means “ darkness” and also Makara “ Charcoal”.

Originally, Rwansigazi was supposed to succeed Mukurisi but at the time of his death, Mwirima had inversely grown stronger and therefore wanted to challenge family leadership. For several times, Rwansigazi and Mwirima participated in power after their fathers’ death but as time went on, commodity had to be.

It should be noted that while the family remained as a unit under the leadership of these two sisters, a time came when inharmonious differences between the two sisters soon or latterly caused the separation of this formerly big family. Rwanzigazi was audacious and liked traveling for long distances while Mwirima like his pater Mugurisi preferred a small range.

History has it that because of the differences, these two silverbacks decided to separate and make two gorilla families depending on the interest of the members. In 2002, the family had to separate and those members that preferred adventure followed Rwansigazi while those who preferred a small range remained with Mwirima. No fights were reported at the time of separation. The group that stayed with Rwansigazi maintained the name Habinyanja while the bone that left came to be known as Rushegura.

Rushegura Gorilla Family – Gorilla Families in Uganda

  • Family size 18 members including and no silverback
  • Position Buhoma

The Rushegura gorilla family was brought together in 2002 after one of the silverbacks from the Habinyanja group decided to break away. They started with 12 individualities including 5 ladies. This “ Habinyanya 2 group” snappily entered a new name, that derives from “ Ebishegura” – a tree specie that was abundant in the home area of the new family. The Rushegura group is a calm family. Throughout history, they used to cross the border bordering DRC now and also but always returned to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. They’re generally not far from Buhoma Village and occasionally indeed wander through the auditoriums of the lodges

Rushegura group is located in the Buhoma part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Typically excursionists start from the demesne headquarters to track this gorilla family but occasionally you might need to drive for over 15 twinkles to its trailhead in Mukono

Rushegura is the name of a place where the separation of this group from the larger family of Habinyanja took place in February 2002. The breakaway was led by the late Mwirima, a strong-massive silverback, desirous to form his own family, carrying down with him seven members. He latterly failed and now the Rushegura is under the leadership of a strong black reverse

The late Mwirima, a son of Mukurusi, parted ways with his family, Rwansigazi who was notorious for taking the gorillas on distant ranging peregrinations, while Mwirima preferred shorter ranges. The group was opened for Tourism in 2002 since the individualities had been affected under the original Habinyanja family.

True to Late Mwirima’s determination to plant a large – stable family, he worked so hard that by April 2010, the number of individualities had increased to 19 from the original 8. He was on record to have got several seeds so far.

The group which is known to at times cross in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, presently has no silverback, five Adult ladies, one Blackback, and a host of kids and babies. The individualities under Mwirima feel secure given his proven heroics in fighting off rival and wild groups. Mwirima is known to engage in severe fights in the protection of his sovereignty and the family, using his sharp doggies, slighting and tearing foliage, casket-beating, and thumping the ground with triumphs to display the end of the battle.

Rangers cite a recent illustration when the Rushegura group encountered a wild Makare group against whom Late Mwirima fought tooth and nail, triumphed, and assured the group stayed feeding on the battleground for two days to celebrate his rare feat.

Late Mwirima was used to determine the movements of the group leading to applicable feeding spots as well as interceding conflicts within the family. The five grown-ups clicked to Late Mwirima for the utmost of the time. With the death of Mwirima in 2014, an influential black reverse has taken over control of the family.

Gorilla Families in Uganda

gorilla family in the Bwindi Forest

Bitukura Gorilla Family – Gorilla Families in Uganda

  • Family size 12 members including 4 silverbacks
  • Position Ruhija

The Bitukura group was named after a swash where the family members were first sighted. The heroinism that started in July 2007 was a fairly easy process as the gorillas were formerly constantly encountered by the UWA rangers. Although the heroinism process typically takes a minimum of two times, this group could formerly be visited by excursionists within 15 months after the launch. Bitukura is a peaceful family including 4 silverbacks and some sportful kids. They partake in a close bond and frequently have‘ group meetings or get-togethers

Bitukura family is located on the Ruhija side of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. There’s accommodation in Ruhija but utmost stint drivers prefer taking their guests to Buhoma for accommodation as Buhoma has several options when it comes to Lodging compared to Ruhija where this Family is located. However, you’ll need to wake up beforehand as there’s a need to drive at least two hours to reach the starting point If you stay at Buhoma.

This mountain gorilla family was named Bitukura after a swash that bears the same name. As it happens the family was first observed near the swash which also turned out to be part of its homing range. Habituation of this group began in July 2007 and the group was opened for tourism in October 2008. This was a fairly easy group to hang to as it had frequently been encountered by UWA rangers and trackers in their hassles with the Kyaguriro group and this non-threatening mortal contact made it easier for the group to come habituated to mortal company much briskly than with other gorilla families which frequently take a minimum of two times to completely hang.

The Bitukura family is peaceable, with little in way of the politics and monkeyshines prone to gorilla families. Ndahura sees to that. The Bitukura and Kyaguriro families partake in a close bond and are known to have, what can be described in mortal terms as get-togethers about formerly each month. The biggest riddle girding this peaceable family is the migration of its eldest juvenile son to the Kyaguriro family.

Whereas it’s known that on reaching the majority, female gorillas are prone to leave the family in favor of starting a family with an eligible solitary male, or simply joining another family – as Twigukye did – she was nonetheless rather young to make the move. But she did it and a study of the family members may help give a clue to this unusual occurrence. Friend them and find out.

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