Bwindi Gorilla Families
Bwindi gorilla families are group of mountain gorillas that live together as a family into different gorilla groups lead under head of the family, off springs and the female. They do grow as they produce and take care of each other. Bwindi impenetrable national park is renowned in the entire world as the primitive capital for the half remaining mountain gorillas with over 500 individuals of the 800 individual that are still existing in the world. The park is located in south western region of Uganda on the rim of the Great Rift Valley on a total land measuring of 321 square kilometers close to the border of Democratic Republic of Congo and next to Virunga National Park. Note that, Uganda is gifted with two inhabit of these great apes which is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
However, Bwindi Impenetrable national park offers the highest number of mountain gorilla families as compared to other national parks such as Mgahinga, Virunga national park in Congo and Volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Bwindi, is a world’s premium safari destination for mountain gorilla trekking, inhabiting half of the total population of ‘’mountain gorillas’’. Note, Bwindi impenetrable forest has over 36 gorilla families that are both habituated and some are not.
Bwindi Gorilla Families
This national park has over 19 habituated gorilla families that are officially opened to gorilla trekking. Since Bwindi national park is comprised of four different Gorilla Trekking sectors, that include the Buhoma sector, Ruhija sector, Nkuringo sector and Rushanga sector, these are the sectors where these habituated gorilla families are located. Its traveler’s choice of selection from which gorilla family to track in.
Below are the habituated mountain gorilla families in Bwindi where a traveler can have a choice of trekking on ‘’Uganda Gorilla Safari’’.
Buhoma Sector habituated gorilla families include;
Habinyanja gorilla family
The Habinyanja gorilla family sits in the Buhoma sector with a total of 18 members comprised of 2 silverbacks. It was fully habituated in 1997.But due to more fights in this group led to separation among the group and forming another family called Rushegura.
Mubare gorilla family
The Mubare gorilla family is found in the Buhoma sector in the northern side of the park. This gorilla family is the oldest habituated gorilla family in Uganda that began with 12 members and today makes only 9 members including 1 silverback a head of the group. It was opened for tourism in 1991.
Rushegura gorilla family
The Rushegura gorilla family sits in the Buhoma sector with a number of 19 members including 1 silverback. This is a gorilla family which was formed in 2002 with Mwirima silverback as the head of the family but after it broke off the Habinyanja gorilla family. However, Mwirima died in2014 leaving the group to the head by Kabukojo.
Katwe gorilla family
The Katwe gorilla family is the newest family that sits in the Buhoma region on the northern side of the park. The family offers one dominant silverback ,2 blackbacks,2 infants and 4 adult females. This family was officially open for tourism in 2018.
Nkuringo Sector habituated Gorilla Families;
The Nkuringo gorilla family sits in the Nkuringo region with 19 members including 2 silverbacks. This group at first was led by one silverback Nkuringo who died in 2008 leaving behind with more 2 silverbacks. Nkuringo family was gifted with twins Muhoozi and Katungi. Unfortunately, Katungi passed away before the age of the two.
Christmas gorilla family
The Christmas gorilla family sits in Nkuringo sector and is a newest family with 9 members, one dominant silverback known as Christmas a blessed creature which was born on Christmas day.
Bushaho gorilla family
The Bushaho gorilla family sits in the southern region of Nkuringo with 8members including 0ne silverback known as Bahits who separated from the Nkuringo group.
Ruhija sector habituated gorilla families include;
Bitukura gorilla family
The Bitukura gorilla family sits in Ruhija sector with a number of 14 members with 4 silverbacks. This group was the fastest growing habituated group which took only 15 months to be done with and it was open to trekking in soon after.
Oruzogo gorilla family
The Oruzogo gorilla family sits in Ruhija sector with 23 members including one silverback. This family was open for tourism in 2011 and marks every playful juvenile.
Kyaguriro gorilla family
The Kyaguriro gorilla family offers 20 individuals and sits in Ruhija sector. It was habituated in 1995 for research purposes. The current leader of the family is Rukina after Mukiza who left the group to form his own family.
Mukiza gorilla family
The Mukiza gorilla family sits in the Ruhija sector. The family was formed after one of the silverbacks in Kyaguriro but is then separated to form his own family. This gorilla family has 10 members.
Rushaga sector habituated gorilla families include;
Nshongi gorilla family
The Nshongi gorilla family is found in Rushaga region of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park with 18 members and officially opened for trekking on 26th September 2009.This was the largest among other habituated gorilla family with 36 members. However, the group split ending up forming new groups.
Mishaya gorilla family
The Mishaya gorilla family was formed after separating in the Nshongi gorilla family in 2010.This group began with 7 members but with Mishaya’s aggressiveness. Today, the group forms 12 members.
Bweza gorilla group
The Bweza gorilla group was formed after splitting from Nshongi. Bweza as head silverback broke away with 6 members but has for today make up a total of 11 members.
Kahungye gorilla family
The Kahungye gorilla family was officially launched for tourism in 2011 with a total of 27 members who split into two to make Busingye gorilla family. After splitting into two, now has a total of 17 members with 3 silverbacks called Rumansi,3 blackbacks ,6 females,3 juveniles and 2 infants.
Busingye gorilla family
The Busingye gorilla family sits in Rushaga with 9 members including 1 silverback, it’s a newest group that break away from the Kahungye family in June 2012.
Bikyingi gorilla family
The Bikyingi gorilla group is also found in Rushaga sector with total of 21 members. The family came into existence after some individuals from Mishaya came together with other wild gorillas to make their own family. The group was then opened up for habituation. Bikyingi as a head silverback in this family and so friendly to all his young ones.
Rwigi gorilla family
The Rwigi gorilla family is a newly another habituated gorilla family in Rushaga sector with 6 members, led by Rwigi the silverback gorilla. This group split from the Kahungye group.
Mucunguzi gorilla family
The Mucunguzi gorilla family also sits in Rushanga sector with 8 members. The family is dominantly female. This group broke away from the Bweza family after a serious fight. Mucunguzi is the head of this family and the word Mucunguzi means savior.
Above are the fabulous habituated Bwindi Gorilla Families which are open all year around for travelers who enjoy to get excited with nature creatures most especially the mountain gorillas and here in Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park is so rewarding as you can come face to face with your closest relative in the mist, the number for gorillas keeps on increasing each year. Book now and encounter into the most incredible and emotional gorilla trekking activity on the planet. Uganda gorilla trekking permits can be got at USD700 per person per trek and be captivated with one or more gorilla group on Uganda gorilla safari destination.
