Gorilla families in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Gorilla families in Bwindi impenetrable national park: Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in the south western Uganda in kanungu district.  The park features several gorilla families which can be seen in their natural habitat by the visitors. The Bwindi forest is on the edge of the Albertine rift valley, the western part of the east African rift valley, at elevations ranging from 1160 to 2607 meters (331kms). Bwindi impenetrable national park was gazetted in 1991 mainly to conserve and protect the endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda and now it harbors about 400 mountain gorillas out of the 1063 mountain gorillas in the world which makes it the best gorilla trekking destination in Africa. Bwindi impenetrable national park also harbors other wildlife like bush pigs, black and white colobus monkeys, African harrier, elephant, and chimpanzees.

Gorilla families in Bwindi impenetrable national park

The Park is a home of about 19 habituated gorilla families which are found in four sectors these includes Nkuringo sector in the south, Buhoma sector in the north, Rushaga sector in the southern, Ruhija sector in the east.

Habinyanja gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: Habinyanja group is one of the mountain gorilla families that inhabit the buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park. This family was among the first to be in habituated in Uganda and it was habituated from 1997 and open for trekking in 1999 under the leadership of the Mugurusi Silverback with over 30 members. This group was led by Mugurisi, a silverback whose name derived from a local phrase meaning ‘old man’s teeth’. Mugurisi later on passed away because of the old age this left the group in leadership fights because the family had three silverbacks namely Rwansigazi, Mwirima, Makara which were waiting to succeed the father. But the group was led by two silverbacks that’s is Rwansigazi and Mwirima who shared power but because of indifferences the two-brother separated in 2002 and the group stayed with Rwansigazi remained with the Habinya and the other group went with mwirima and it was named the Rushegura. The remaining group of habinyanja now has 18 members with two silverbacks.

Rushegura gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: The rushegura gorilla family is another implausible family that separated away from the Habinyanja and the group was led by mwirima silverback. Rushegura is one of the habituated gorilla families situated in Buhoma sector north part of the park, the family is now dominated by kabukojo silverback. The group now comprised of 16 members including 1 silverback, 3 black backs, 4 female and 3 young ones.

Oruzogo gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: This family is located in Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park in south western Uganda. The family was opened for trekking in 2012. The group is large with 23 members including 2 silver one of them is Tibirikwata who is the group leader, Bwoba the coward among others.

Bushaho gorilla family: Bushaho gorilla family is located in Rushaga sector with the bikingi gorilla family in 2012, and group derives its name from a place where it was first sighted. The family is headed by Bahati silverback who came from the Nkuringo gorilla family and it’s comprised of 11 members including 1 silverback, 2 semi adults, 3 juvenile and 4 adults.

Nkuringo gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: The gorilla family is the oldest gorilla group to be habituated in Nkuringo sector in the southern part of the park. The group was named after a local hill called Nkuringo in 2004 where it was first sighted, it is comprised of 12 members including 2 silverbacks (but unfortunately one was brutally murdered by poachers in 2020), 1 black buck, 2 females and 3 infants.

Christmas gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National  Park: Christmas gorilla family was named after the dominant silverback called Christmas who was born on Christmas day. The group is one of the new habituated gorilla families in Nkuringo which was introduced for trekking alongside Katwe gorilla family in buhoma sector. The family is comprised of 9 members but 6 are the one usually seen during trekking.

Mucunguzi gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: Mucunguzi gorilla family is located in the Rushaga sector. The group was named after the dominant silverback mucunguzi which means savior, Mucunguzi was the third and the youngest silverback in Bweza gorilla family which later alone let and started his own family and the gorilla family is now comprised of 10 members but it is dominantly of female because there are 8 females in the group.

Bikingi gorilla family in in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: Hikingi gorilla family began in early 2012 after a follow up exercise was made after some members of the mishayo had scattered. The group was non-habituated this prompted the habituation process to begin so the group could be fully trained to get used to human presence. Bikingi is the leader of other 15 individuals.

Rwingi gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park; Rwingi gorilla family was named after a dominant gorilla rwingi. Rwingi family is the newest gorilla family in rushaga sector that splits from kahunye gorilla family after the misunderstandings in the group, it is comprise of 6 members including silverback, 3 infant 2 adults.

Bweza gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park; Bweza gorilla group resides in rushaga sectors of the park, the group broke away from Nshongi gorilla group in 2013 with 8 members. Bweza is pre -dominantly dominated by silverbacks and now it is composed of 9 members.

Mukiza gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park; Mukiza gorilla group is situated In Ruhija sector and it was habituated in 2016. The group splits from Kyaguriro A and therefore it is known as kyaguriro B, Th group is comprised of 13 members including 3 infants, 1 juvenile, 6 adults, 2 semi-adults and 1 silverback/.

Katwe gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park; Katwe gorilla group is located in northern part of the park in Buhoma sector and it is among the new introduced gorilla families. The group was open for trekking in 2018 and it’s comprised of 8 members including 2 black bucks, 4 adult and 2 infants.

Busingye gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park; Busingye gorilla family split from kahungye family with 7 members in 2012 under the leadership of Busingye silverback. The group is located in Rushaga sector and it is comprised of 9 members including the dominant silverback.

Mishaya gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park; Mishaya gorilla group derives it name after a dominant leader mishaya after it had split away from Nsgoshi gorilla family due to fights in 2010 but unfortunately their leader passed away in 2014 and now the group is comprised of 12 members.

Kahungye gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park; Kahungye gorilla family derives its name from a hill called Kahungye where it was first sighted by the trackers. Kahungye gorilla family is located in rushaga sector of the park and it was opned up for habituation in 2011, the group was comprised of 27 members but due to fights now is comprised of 13 members including the dominant silverback Rumansi.

Mubare gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park; Mubare gorilla family is the oldest gorilla family located in I buhoma sector in northern part of the park. The group derives it name from mubare hill where it was first sighted and it was habituated in 1998 with 12 members and it was led by Ruhondeza silverback which later died in 2013. Mubare gorilla group now is comprised of 9 members including one silverback.

Bitukura gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: Bitura gorilla group it derives it name from a river called bitukura where it was first sighted by the trackers. It is located in Ruhija sector in eastern part of the park, Bitukura was first habituated in July 2007 and opened for tracking in 2008 hence the only family was habituated for short time. the gorilla group is known for peaceful character and it is dominated by 14 members.

Kyaguriro gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: Kyaguriro is situated in Ruhija sector in the eastern side of the park and the group was first habituated in 1995 and reversed for research at the time of habituation, The group was led by Zeus who later along was overthrown by his rivals and he was sent to exile were died from. The gorilla group now is comprised of 20 members.Bwindi impenetrable national park is comprised of 19 gorilla group families of which are divided in to four sectors. The number these primates gradually increase and in case you want to visit the gorilla families you can contact us.