Gorilla families in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is classified into gorilla families which are given a gorilla sector to live in. Each family has a silverback as the male and it runs the family. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is carried out depending on the gorilla families and where they are found.

Mountain gorilla is the major attraction that attracts most tourists to visit Bwindi forest, as it is home to over 400 individuals but in different sectors of the park. the forest consists of various sectors found in different regions of the park where these primates live and each sector has an exciting gorilla family as explained below.

Gorilla Families in Buhoma Sector Bwindi.

This sector is situated in the northern region of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Buhoma sector is one of the most visited sectors in Bwindi forest, it was the first sector to be opened for trekking with the Mubare gorilla family. Mubare gorilla family is the first family to be habituated in Buhoma as well as in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in 1992.

Buhoma sector has 3 gorilla families and these includes;

Habinyanja Gorilla family.

This name was derived from the Rukinga word “Nyaja” which means a place with water, this gorilla family was habituated in 1997 and then trekked in 1999. Habinyanja’s family was first seen near the swamp pounds of the park. The family has 13 members and these includes Maraya, Binyonko, Makara, Kisho, Elas, Hakato, Nabukye, Rwansigazi, Gacyaro, Rugyendi, Hamusini,Bangenyi, Nyamuhango. This family is headed by Makara a dominant silverback.

Rushegura gorilla family

This family found in 2000 and opened for trekking in the same year. Rushegura’s family comes from the Habinyanja gorilla family. It has 19 members and headed by Mwirima a dominant silverback, Kabukojo the black back, 5 infant gorillas that is Kyirinvi, Katabazi, Buzinza,Kibade and Nyamunmwa, 5 juveniles are Kafuruka, Karungyi,Nyampazi, kibande and Kanywanyi, 5 adult female that is Kibande, Kyirinvi, Karungyi,Nyamunwa and Buzinza and 2 sub-adult female are Ruterana and Kalembezi.

Mubare gorilla family

This family is the first gorilla family to be habituated in both the Buhoma sector and Bwindi forest in 1992, it has 5 individuals and the Mubare family is named after Mubare hills where this gorilla family was first seen. Kanyonyi is a dominant silverback that heads the Mubare gorilla family with 1 infant, 2 sub-adult females, and 1 adult female.

Gorilla Families in Nkuringo Sector Bwindi

Nkuringo gorilla sector is found in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park in the kisoro district. This sector has only 3 gorilla families as explained below.

Bikingi gorilla family

This gorilla family is among the best gorilla family one should not miss out to trek, Binkingi gorilla family was opened in 2012 and it has 15 family individuals including 4 infants, 2 juveniles, 2 sub-adults, 5 adult females plus 1 silverback. The Bikingi gorilla family is still undergoing through habituation process so it has no leader.

Nkuringo gorilla family

Nkuringo gorilla family is the first gorilla family to be open for gorilla trekking in the southwestern region of Bwindi forest and it was habituated in 1997. This gorilla family consists of 12 gorilla individuals which include 2 infants, 3 juveniles, 2 sub-adults, 2 adult females, and 1 silverback. Nkuringo gorilla family is the first family in the Bwindi forest to record the birth of twins. Nkuringo gorilla family was made up of 17 members but some of them split from the park and it left with 12 members.

Bushaho gorilla family

This group consists of 8 family individuals with 1 infant, 1 juvenile, 1 sub-adult, 3 adult females, 1 black back, and 1 silverback. Bushaho gorilla family was formed by some members who split from the Nkuringo gorilla family and it was headed by Bahati a dominant silverback.

Gorilla Families in Rushaga Sector Bwindi

Rushanga sector is situated in the southern parts of the forest. This is among the sectors with the greatest population of mountain gorilla families in the park Rushaga sector is also best for the tourists coming from Kigali using cyanika border in Kisoro district. Rushanga sector is commonly known with 5 gorilla families which include;

Nshongi gorilla family

Nshongi gorilla family has an exciting experience with 7 family members and it is headed by Bweza a powerful silverback. In there this family there is 1 infant, 1 juvenile, 1 silverback, and 3 adult females.

Mishaya gorilla family

Mishaya gorilla family has 12 members headed by a dominant silverback known as Mishaya.

This gorilla group was opened in 2010 by Mishaya who spilt away from Nshongi gorilla family.

Kahungye gorilla family

Kahungye gorilla family consists of 17 family members and it was named after Kahungye hill where these gorillas were first seen in the area, this gorilla family is headed by Rumaz a dominant silverback with 2 infants, 3 juvenile, 3 sub-adults, 3 silverbacks, and 3 adult females.

Busingye gorilla family

Busingye gorilla family is a family of 9 members who split from Kahungye gorilla family and it is headed by a dominant silverback known as Busingye.

Bweza gorilla family

Bweza gorilla family consists of 23 individual members headed by a silverback known as Kakono, it has 2 infants, 1 sub-adult, 3 adult females, 4 blackbacks, and 2 silverbacks.

Gorilla Families in Ruhija sector Bwindi.

Ruhija sector is located in the eastern parts of Bwindi impenetrable national park, Ruhija is an exciting sector with 3 gorilla families where mountain gorilla trekking takes place and these families include.

Kyaguliro gorilla family

Kyaguliro gorilla family has 20 family members, this family was mainly formed for research that is why it is not usually trekked by tourists. This group is divided into 2 groups that is Kyaguliro A and Kyaguliro B and this has happened after the death of a leader.

Kyaguliro A is a family of 10 members with 2 infants, 2 juveniles, 3 adult females, 2 black backs, and 1 silverback and headed by Rukara a dominant silverback.

Kyaguliro B also has 10 family members which is under the leadership of Mukiza a dominant silverback with 4 infants, 1 adult, 4 adult females.

Oruzogo gorilla family

Oruzogo gorilla family consist of 17 members and it was opened for tourism in 2007. These are some of the prominent members include 6 adult females whose names include Mukwano, Nyangaro, Mutesi, Katoto, Nyakina, and Ruchura,Bakwate (old silverback), Kasumali(silverback), Kaganga(silverback), 1 black back known as Bwengye, 2 infant males that is Paska and Mufuruki, 1 infant female (Musana), 3 sub-adult males Musenene, Muhumuza and Nyabirano.

Bitukura gorilla family

Bitukura gorilla family has 14 family members with 1 baby, 3 infants, 2 juveniles, 4 adult families, and 4 silverbacks. This gorilla family was formed in 2007 with 24 family members but due to constant conflicts cause many members to have to run away from the family.

Mammals and other primates in Bwindi Forest

Most of the tourists visit Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park for mountain gorilla trekking but the park also hosts amazing mammals who habit the deep forests of the park and some of the mammals found in the forest include antelopes, forest elephants, African civet, forest elephants, side stripped jackal, giant forest hog and among others.

The forest is also home to other primates include Chimpanzees, vervet, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, L’hoests, De brazza monkeys, nocturnal potto as well as galago species.