Congo Gorilla Families

Ten habituated gorilla families can be found in the Virunga National Park for Congo gorilla trekking. They are the only gorillas that can be tracked and seen by tourists. Although the exact number of gorillas is unknown due to local instability, the most recent census claimed there were over 100 of them, with roughly seven of them being infants. For the aim of Congo Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park, let’s examine the 10 groups of these endangered gorillas that are found there.

The Baraka Family

The most recent family to bear Rachel Baraka’s name is this one. One of the 26 female rangers in the park’s wildlife force was Rachel Masika Baraka. Last year, when visiting Mikeno Lodge in Virunga National Park with British visitors, she was killed in a Congo gorilla trekking incident. The park chose to name this family after that slain hero as a result. The Silverback Baraka is in charge of the group. Many Silverbacks in Virunga National Park are reported to have Baraka as their father.

RUGENDO

Along with Rugabo and Zunguruka, Rugendo was one of the first tribes to become habituated in 1985. The gang was founded under the leadership of Silverback Rugendo, who was tragically assassinated by rebels in the Bukima region in 2001. In Virunga National Park, Rugendo is also recognized as the father of numerous silverbacks, including Mapuwa, Humba, Ruzirabwoba, Mukunda, Nyakamwe, Mburanumwe, Baseka, Kongomani, Lubutu, and Bahati. Following his passing, his son Senkwekwe assumed leadership of the group until 2007, when he and five other gorillas were killed by unidentified assailants.

The lone Silverback Bukima took over the group’s leadership in 2008 after it had been without a leader for a few months. Prior to becoming a lone Silverback in 2005, Bukima was a member of the Buhanga group and then briefly belonged to the Munyaga group. The Silverback Rugendo is currently in charge of the Rugendo group, which consists of nine members: three Silverbacks, one Blackback, one adult female, two sub-adult females, and two youngsters. The Rugendo group enjoys waiting for you to go on the Congo Gorilla Trek while circling the Mikeno sector between Bukima and Bikenge.

MUNYAGA

The Bukima region of the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is home to the Munyaga group. Prior to 1998, the Silverback Munyaga was a single wild Silverback. Munyaga met the Buhanga group in February 1998, which was then led by the adult female Nsekuye. Munyaga took advantage of the fact that there was no dominant Silverback in the group to establish himself as its leader. Subsequently, the group engaged in multiple interactions with the Kabirizi group until Munyaga lost all of his girls to them. Munyaga then vanished for two years (2007–2008). Mawazo assumed the group’s leadership after his disappearance and has continued to do so to this day. There are currently nine members of the group: three silverbacks, two adult females, two juveniles, and two infants. They are all prepared to welcome you to the Congo Gorilla Trek.

MAPUWA

This group can be found in the DRC’s Jomba region of Virunga National Park. Mapuwa Silverback founded the Mapuwa group in 1998. Mapuwa emerged inside the Rugendo clan and is the son of Silverback Rugendo. Mapuwa and his brother Ruzirabwoba quit the Rugendo group in August 1995 to live alone. After interacting with the Lulengo group on January 8, 1998, Mapuwa seized two women, Kagofero and Kanepo, to create his own organization, Mapuwa. Twenty-two people make up the Mapuwa group at the moment, including three silverbacks, three blackbacks, six adult females, two sub-adult females, four juveniles, and five newborns. The Silverback Mapuwa is currently in charge of the Mapuwa gang. Dozens of tourists have joined the group for the Congo Gorilla Trek.

LULENGO

The Jomba region of the DRC’s Virunga National Park is home to the Lulengo group. With the Silverback Rugabo as the group leader, the group’s habituation began in 1985 under the name Rugabo. Regretfully, Rugabo and two other women were brutally murdered in Jomba in 1994. In connection with this episode, poachers took the young Mvuyekure (now known as Silverback in the Mapuwa family) with the intention of selling him in Uganda; thankfully, Mvuyekure was saved, and the poachers were apprehended and imprisoned.

Thus, Rugabo’s son Lulengo assumed leadership of the gang, which at the time consisted of twelve members, after his death. There were a few encounters that resulted in the movement of some members from Lulengo to other groups. For example, in 1998, Lulengo engaged with Mapuwa, and many of his members joined them. In 2014, there was another encounter between Lulengo and Rugendo, which resulted in the movement of the young Lulengo from Lulengo to Rugendo. The Silverback Lulengo is currently in charge of the group, which consists of nine members: one Silverback, three adult females, one sub-adult male, one juvenile, and three newborns.

KABIRIZI

This group, which is led by the dominating silverback Kabirizi, is likewise located close to the Goma area. There are two silverbacks and 34 members in the group.

The ICCN director, who passed away in an automobile accident in the 1990s, is the inspiration behind the group’s name. Formerly known as Ndungutse, the gang was led by Ndungutse himself, who perished in a local rebel conflict. There are 19 people in the family.

BAGENI

The Bukima and Gatovu regions of the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are home to the Bageni group. The 26-member Bageni group, led by the Silverback Bangeni, consists of one Silverback, two Blackbacks, ten adult females, one sub-adult female, three juveniles, and nine infants. After Bageni the Silverback broke away from his father’s group (the Kabirizi group), the Bageni group was established in January 2013. Bageni established his own group, Bageni, after moving away with twenty people, including his siblings and mother Mapendo. During the Congo gorilla trekking, the Bageni family is one of the most tranquil and is favored by tourists.

NYAKAMWE

The Silverback Nyakamwe is the leader of the Nyakamwe group, which is located in the Bukima region of the DRC’s Virunga National Park. The breakup of the Humba group led to the formation of the Nyakamwe group in 2014. Due to internal strife with his brother Humba, Nyakamwe Silverback left the group on April 20, 2014, when there were ten members, leaving the Humba group with just five. There are currently eleven members of the Nyakamwe group, comprising two silverbacks, one blackback, three adult females, one sub-adult female, two adolescents, and two newborns.

HUMBA

There are sixteen gorillas and one silverback in this family. It may be found close to the Goma sector in the Bukima neighborhood. The dominant silverback, Humba, is in charge of this group. Everyone prefers to follow this family since they are the most peaceful in the park. In 1998, Humba broke away from his father, the Rugendo. During the Congo gorilla trekking, tourists who are tracking gorillas in the Mikeno Southern Sector pay the group a visit.