Mountain Gorilla Families in Uganda

Mountain Gorilla Families in Uganda: Home to the largest population of mountain gorillas in the world with over 600 mountain gorillas, Uganda is the best place to visit for mountain gorillas in the world. The Pearl of Africa – Uganda hosts two gorilla destinations, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Uganda is home to 21 Habituated gorilla families as elaborated below.

Mountain Gorilla Families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park also known as Bwindi Forest Impenetrable National Park is the most famous national park in Uganda and a remarkable destination for mountain gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda as well as the whole world.

Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site found in the south western Uganda stretching over 321 square kilometers of land, the park is home to the world’s biggest population of mountain gorillas with over 600 mountain gorillas and 20 habituated gorilla families including Mubare Gorilla Family, Habinyanja Gorilla Family, Rushegura Gorilla Family, Bitukura Gorilla Family, Oruzogo Gorilla Family, Nkuringo Gorilla Family, Nshongi Gorilla Family, Mishaya Gorilla Family, Kahungye Gorilla Family, Bweza Gorilla Family- Rushaga, Busingye Gorilla Family and Kyaguriro Gorilla Family.

1. Mubare Gorilla Family – Buhoma Sector

Mubare is the oldest gorilla group in Uganda opened for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with only 8 members under the leadership of Silverback Kanyonyi. Mubare Gorilla Family was open for gorilla trekking in 1993, initially the group was under the leadership of Silverback Ruhondeza who died due to natural cases at the age of 50.

Mubare Gorilla Family is found in the Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

2. Habinyanja Gorilla Family – Buhoma Sector

Habinyanja Gorilla Family is found in Buhoma Sector consisting of 17 members under the leadership of dominant silverback Makara who succeeded silverback Habinyanja. The family was habituated in 1997 and by that time it was under the leadership of Silverback Mugurusi who passed away due to old age and was succeeded by two of his brothers Rwansigazi and Mwirima.

Habinyanja Gorilla Family gets its name from a Rukiga slag meaning place with water, a reference to the swamps where the members of this family were first seen. Brother Rwansigazi and Mwirima had different personality traits, Mwirima was fond of staying in specific areas and Rwansigazi loved moving which resulted into peaceful separation.

Rwansigazi left the group in 2002 to form his own group in names of Rushegura family.

3. Rushegura Gorilla Family – Buhoma Sector

This family has 19 members found in Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Rushegura Gorilla Family was formed as a result of Rwansigazi and Mwirima separating away from Habinyanja group in 2002.

The name of this group is derived from a local slag “Ebishegura” which is a reference to the tree species found in the territory of this familu, Rushegura gorilla family is under the leadership of silverback of a 25 year old dominant Silverback Mwirima who is one of the strongest silverbacks in Bwindi forests.

4. Bitukura Gorilla Family – Ruhija Sector

Bitukura Gorilla Family is a group of 14 individuals found in Ruhija Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this group consists of 4 silverbacks and is under the leadership of silverback Ndahura who took over from silverback Karamuzi who is now a retired silverback.

Originally this group consisted of 24 members during its habituation which was completed in October of 2008, unlike the groups who habituated takes about 2-3 years. This family’s habituation lasted only for 15 months.

5. Oruzogo Gorilla Family – Ruhija Sector

This family is one of the large families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park found in Ruhija Sector, the family consists of 2 silverback and is under the leadership of silverback Tibirkwata. This family was opened for trekking in 2011 and since then many births have occurred in the family, females like Ntamurungi gave birth in June of 2011, Musi in October of 2011 and Kakoba in March of 2012.

6. Nkuringo Gorilla Family – Nkuringo Sector

This beautiful gorilla group gets its name from around hill were its members were first sighted thus the name Nkuringo which is a Rukiga Slag. Nkuringo Gorilla Family consists of 11 family members and initially it was led by silverback Nkuringo until his death in 2008, silverback Nkuringo was succeeded by his brother Safari though he had two sons Rafiki and Safari.

7. Nshongi Gorilla Family – Rushaga Sector

Nshongi was once the biggest gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park during its habituation with 37 individuals, this gorilla family is found in Rushaga Sector and still is one of the big gorilla families with 26 members and 4 silverbacks.

Nshongi Gorilla Family gets its name from the site near the river where is members were first sighted, Nshongi is alcohol slag used as a reference to the deep honey-like color of the river. This family was open for mountain gorilla trekking in September of 2009 and by then it consisted of 37 members and in 2010, 10 members split from the group led by Mishaya which left the Nshongi Gorilla Family with only 26 individuals.

8. Mishaya Gorilla Family – Rushaga Sector

Mishaya Gorilla Family is a split gorilla family from Nshongi Gorilla Family in 2010, its breakway was led by silverback Mishaya who also some female members from other groups to form his own. Mishaya gorilla family consists of 12 family members under the leadership of silverback Mishaya, he is fond of picking fights with other silverbacks in Bwindi Forest and during one fight he go wounded during the fights and lucky enough he was treated by gorilla conservation doctors.

9. Kahungye Gorilla Family – Rushaga Sector

Kahungye gorilla family has 13 members including 3 silverbacks found in the Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, originally the family had 27 members during its habituation. The size of the group resulted into some members split to create other families such as Busingye.

Kahungye gorilla family consists of 3 silverbacks that are Rumansi, Ruhamika and Gwigi and it is under the leadership of silverback Gwigi.

10. Bweza Gorilla Family – Rushaga Sector

Bweza Gorilla Family is found in Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this family is a split family from Nshongi Gorilla Family which was once the largest habituated family in Bwindi Forest and its splitting away was led by Silverback Bweza who left the family in 2012. Bweza Gorilla Family consists of 9 members and is under the leadership of Silverback Bweza.

11. Busingye Gorilla Family

Busingye is a gorilla family of 9 members found in the Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this group split from Kahungye gorilla family. The split happened in 2012 and Busingye gorilla family was open for gorilla trekking in 2013.

The group’s name gets its name from a local slag meaning peace, the family is under the leadership of dominant Silverback Busingye who is a very ambitious silverback and well known for stealing females from other groups as a way of showing his power over the groups.

12. Mukiza gorilla family

Formerly this group was known as Kyaguriro before the split following the death of Silverback Rukina who was the leader of the group, silverback Rukina was succeeded by Silverback Mukiza who was not strong enough to keep the family together which resulted into together.

Silverback Rukara attacked the family and raided most of the family members leading to formation of another gorilla family called Kyaguriro B. Kyaguriro A was later named Mukiza gorilla family a name got from the ruling silvernack of the group and is found in Ruhija Gorilla Sector consisting of 13 individuals including 1 silverback, 6 adult females, 2 sub-adults, I juvenile and 3 infants.

13. Kyaguriro Gorilla Family – Ruhija Sector

Also known as Kyagurioro B, this gorilla family is found in the Ruhija Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with 15 members under the leadership of a dominant silverback Rukina. He took leadership of the group from an old silverback Zeus.

Kyaguriro Gorilla Group is a special gorilla group set aside for research by conservationists who study various behavior tendencies of mountain gorillas.

14. Bushaho gorilla family – Nkuringo Sector

Bushaho Gorilla Family is a family of 9 members found in the Nkuringo Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this family was habituated in the same time with Bukingi Gorilla Group and it is under the leadership of Silverback Bahati.

15. Bukingi gorilla family

Bukingi Gorilla Family resides in the Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park under the leadership of Silverback Bukingi.

16. Katwe gorilla family – Buhoma Sector

Katwe Gorilla Family is one of the newly habituated gorilla families in Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, it was opened for gorilla trekking in 2018. Currently, this gorilla family consists of 10 individuals including 1 silverback, 3 black-backs, 4 adult females and 2 babies.

17. Kutu Gorilla Family – Rushaga Sector

Kutu Gorilla Family is found in Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this family is among the newly habituated groups in Bwindi Forest consisting of 8 members with 1 silverback.

18. Mucunguzi Gorilla Family – Rushaga Sector

Mucunguzi Gorilla Family is a troop of 8 members under the leadership of Silverback Mucuguzi, the group sis found in the Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The family leader, silverback mucunguzi is known for being a troublesome silverback and known for attacking other silverbacks and stealing females from other families.

19. Binyindo gorilla family – Buhoma Sector

Binyindo Gorilla Family consisting of 6 members with 1 silverback is found in Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this family is the latest addition to the habituated gorilla families in Bwindi.

20. Christmas gorilla family – Nkuringo Sector

Christmas gorilla family is a newly habituated gorilla family in Bwindi Forest found in Nkuringo Sector consists of 9 members. The family is under the leadership of Silverback Christmas who it gets its name from.

Gorilla Families in Mgahinga National Park

At 33.7 square kilometers, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest park in Uganda located in the Southwest corner of the country. The park has only 1 habituated gorilla family Nyakagezi.

Nyakagezi Gorilla Family

Nyakagezi Gorilla Family comprises of 10 individual with 2 silverbacks and under the leadership of silverback Mark. This family is so unpredictable and often it migrates to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Virunga National Park in DR.Congo, this makes tracking it difficult. But currently they have settled in the forests of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.