Gorilla Groups in Uganda: Uganda hosts a big percentage of the surviving mountain gorillas in Uganda, it is confirmed about 70% of the mountain gorillas are found in Bwindi forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park, southwest of Uganda. Bwindi forest national park alone has over 400 mountain gorillas including habituated, semi habituated and wild gorillas whereas Mgahinga gorillas national park has over 200 both habituated and wild, however for it has 2 habituated gorilla family.
Before opening gorilla tourism there was a need to tame the gorillas to accustom to human presence. Gorilla Groups in Uganda, This exercise of habituating gorillas began in Buhoma in 1991, and in 1993 gorilla tourism kick-started with one gorilla Habituated gorilla family Mubare and years on other gorillas were habituated increasing in a number of gorilla families in Bwindi forest national park.
Bwindi forest national park is a huge protected thick forest covering a vast area of 331 square kilometers, it is thus divided into four tracking sectors, Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo where these other gorilla families are found and each sector has its own identified gorilla families. Below is a detailed account of the gorilla families in Uganda and how they were formed, currently are 20 gorilla families both in Bwindi and Mgahinga.
Gorilla families in Ruhija
Bitukura family was habituated in 2006. The family originally had 24 members however some broke out to form another family. Gorilla Groups in Uganda, It is known to be one of the tolerant gorilla families with 4 silverbacks. In total the remaining gorilla members are 13 in number, Bitukura family usually is sighted near the park station, Ruhija sector. Bitukura is headed by silverback Ndahura who took over from his father karamuza after 40 years as head.
Oruzogo family is fondly known for foraging and feeding on vegetation dominated by the ‘Alchornea hitela’ plant (locally known as Oruzogo) upon which the group’s family name also originates. Oruzogo whose habituation started in 2008 is composed of 17 individuals including; 2 silverbacks, 2 blackbacks, 5 adult females, 2 sub-adults, 1 juvenile and 5 infants.
Kyaguriro habituation began in 1995 following the sudden death of silver back Rukina who succumbed to lightning shock. After the demise of the leader, the group was left in the hands of young inexperienced silverback Mukiza who was ambushed by silverback from Bitukura and split the former tight group into two families. Currently, it has 8 individuals including two silver backs.
Mukiza family was formed in May 2016 after a split from Kyaguriro. Mukiza family is known for spending almost all its time in the inner forest and very rarely gets close to the forest’s peripherals. Gorilla Groups in Uganda, Apparently, it composed of 13 individuals among them include silverback, adult females, sub-adult, and infants.
Gorilla families in Buhoma
Habinyanja was once a large family with more than 25 members including several strong males. In February 2002 the group split into two families causing the creation of the Rushegura family. Gorilla Groups in Uganda is uniquely known for ranging further and colonizing new areas away from their originally known home range areas. Habinyanja family is composed of 13 individuals including; silverback, black back, adult females, sub-adult, juveniles, and infants. It is found in the Buhoma tourism sector of Bwindi Impenetrable national park and is headed by silverback Makara.
Rushegura family was formed from Habinyaja which formally had 25 members, apparently is composed of 13 individuals including silverback, black males, adult females, juveniles, and infants. The group is well known for foraging near the local community and is more so often seen visiting the craft shop at the park center. It was formed in 2002 with a need to save conserve and protect the community as well the mountain gorillas because they used to visit and eat from local community gardens.
Mubare family is the pioneer of them all, it was habituated in 1991 and opened in 1993 when Bwindi impenetrable forest national park was officially launching gorilla tourism. Initially, the group had 18 individuals. By then it was led by Ruhondeza who was known for practicing infanticide, unfortunately, he passed on too which reduced the number of members in the group. Currently, they are 5 individuals led by silverback kanyonyi, adult females, and infants. The group is found in the Buhoma tourism sector.
Katwe gorilla family is another recently added gorilla family in Buhoma, this family was introduced in 2018 and as of now it is composed of 6 members, among them include I dominant silverback, 3 Adult females, and 2 juveniles.
Gorilla families in Rushaga
Nshongi group had the biggest number of gorilla individuals, Gorilla Groups in Uganda, initially, they were 36 members with multi-males but with time intra-male rivalry split up the group forming other families. In early 2013, two sections of family members split off the main Nshongi group to form the Mishaya family in June 2010 and later again to the current ‘Bweza’ family. Unfortunately, Mishaya Silverback who had solely led the first splinter section as an adult male died of an obstruction of the intestinal gut on 3rd February 2014. Some of the members ended up joining the Bweza family while others joined Bikingi family. Today Nshongi group is composed of 9 individuals; 1 silverback, 3 adult females, 2 sub-adult males, 1 juvenile, and 3infant. Nshongi family is headed by Bweza and found in the Rushaga tourism sector of Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
Bweza family members were initially habituated in the larger Nshongi family until early 2013 when they detached themselves from the main Shongi family to form their own group under the leadership of Kakono. Gorilla Groups in Uganda, Found in the Rushaga tourism sector of Bwindi Impenetrable national park, Bweza family likes to forage on local community land than in the intact forest areas. This could be its way of freeing from the initial family. Bweza family is currently composed of 10 individuals including; 2 silverbacks, 4 blackbacks, 3 adult females, 1 sub-adult, and infants.
Mucugunzi gorilla family, this family broke out from Bweza gorilla family after one sliver back Mucugunzi staged a fight with the other dominant silverback and the two separated leaving Bweza alone and thus forming another group named after silver back Mucugunzi. Later silver back mucugunzi attacked Bikingi gorilla family and managed to snatch a few females which later the family was joined by other wild gorillas making it a complete family of 12 members among them include silver back, adult females, juveniles and infants.
Mishaya is a group that was formed after it’s separation from the Nshongi family in 2010.Mishaya went away from his main family with 10 members and has continued to have several fights with other gorilla families. Apparently, the Mishaya group is made of 12 family members with 1 dominant silverback.
Kahungye family was opened in 2011 as large as 29 members with three adult males, but in less than two years there was a split forming Busingye family. As of today, Kahungye family is composed of only 17 individuals that includes; 3 silverbacks, 3 blackbacks, 3 adult females, 3 sub-adult, 3 juveniles and two infants. Kahungye family is found in Rushaga tourism area of Bwindi Impenetrable national park and is headed by Rumanzi.
Busingye means “peace”, Members of Busingye gorilla family were initially habituated as a whole in 2008 with Kahungye family before splitting up in 2012. The family name was derived from the adult silver back who led to the split up. Busingye family is fondly known for foraging within the inner forest and very rarely comes toward the park edge. It is found in Rushaga sector and is composed of 12 individuals among them include silverback, adult females, juveniles and infants. Busingye family is still headed by its founder Silverback Busingye.
The habituation of Bikingi gorilla group commenced in early 2012 as soon as members peace fully walked away from the mishaya family. Several members of the former Mishaya family were located in the group alongside other non-habituated members and later-on declared for habituation to keep close monitoring of the formerly habituated members. Bikingi family is found in Rushaga, unfortunately this family’s leadership is not yet confirmed because it’s still undergoing habituation. Bikingi family is composed of 15 individuals including; 1 silverback, 5 adult females, 2 sub-adults, 2 juveniles and 5 infants.
Gorilla families in Nkuringo
Nkuringo means a round hill and this where the family derives the names, the gorillas were spotted here before habituation. The group features 12 individuals; 2 silverbacks, 1 black back, 2 adult females, 2 sub-adults, 3 juveniles and two infants, Nkuringo family is found in Nkuringo tourism sector of Bwindi Impenetrable national park. Nkuringo family was the first gorilla group to be habituated in the entire southern sector in 1997. Initially, the group had 17 but with time a number of members kept dispersing up to the current size of 12 members. Nkuringo family is also the first gorilla group to record the birth of gorilla ‘twins’ in December 2004. Un fortunately, the head silver back was killed by poachers in 2020.
Bushaho group formed from Nkuringo group after silver back Bahati moved away with some members of Nkuringo group, they were later joined by un habituated gorillas which led to close monitoring and follow up to monitor their behavior. The group was later habituated and named Bushaho. It is composed of 8 individuals led by silver back Bahati,1 black back,3 adult females,1 juvenile and I infant.
Christmas gorilla family is newly habituated gorilla family in Nkuringo, its formation is not well stated but the group is composed 6 members which are all spotted during tracking. The members include 1 black back, 3 Adult females and 2 infants.
Gorilla group in Mgahinga gorilla national park
Nyakagezi family is the only habituated gorilla in Mgahinga gorilla national park. It is headed by Mark and composed of 10 individuals; 5 silverbacks, 2 adult females, 2 juveniles, and 1 infant. The habituation of the Nyakagezi family started in 1991 and the group was later opened for tourism in 1994. The gorilla family was commonly known foraging back and forth three countries, Uganda, Rwanda and Congo, but now it stabilized and can be visited in Uganda.
Another gorilla family is Hirwa, this group migrated from the neighboring Rwanda, mountain gorillas by nature they are known for fore raging further moving back and forth crossing over, however, this family with its 20 members crossed to Uganda and for a good time now it has been sighted in Mgahinga where it is now open for tracking. The family is now under the management of Uganda wild life Authority.