Gorilla Families in DR Congo

Gorilla Families in DR Congo, Ten groups of Congo Gorillas live in Virunga National Park, which makes it a great place to go gorilla hiking in Congo. You can only meet these 10 families of mountain gorillas because they are used to people and have become accustomed to gorilla tourism and conservation. The number of mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park is unknown, though, because the area is unstable. The last count thought there were over 100 of them.

Let’s not waste any more time and get right to the ten groups of these critically threatened mountain gorillas that live in Virunga National Park. These are the groups of gorillas that you might see on your Gorilla hiking tour in the DRC.

Families of gorillas in DR Congo

Family of Rugendo Gorillas

There are nine people in the Rugendo group: three silverbacks, one blackback, one adult female, two subadult females, and two babies. Along with Rugabo and Zunguruka, Rugendo was one of the first groups to settle down in 1985. the Silverback Rugendo was in charge of the group, but he died in a rebel attack near Bukima in 2001. The group was led by Silverback Rugendo when it was first put together.

A lot of Silverbacks in Virunga National Park are thought to be Rugendo’s offspring. These include Mapuwa, Humba, Ruzirabwoba, Mukunda, Nyakamwe, Mburanumwe, Baseka, Kongomani, Lubutu, and Bahati. After he died, his son Senkwekwe took over as leader of the group until 2007, when he and five other gorillas in his group were killed by people who were not part of the group.

Black Bear In 2008, Bukima took over as boss of the group after a few months without one. At first, Bukima was part of the Buhanga group. Later, he switched groups and became a Silverback by himself in 2005.

Baraka Family of Gorillas

The silverback male Baraka is in charge of this family. The Baraka Family was named after Rachel Masika, one of the 26 women who work as wildlife guards in the park. She was killed by unknown people while she was with British tourists at Mikeno Lodge in Virunga National Park. The park named this family in honor of the hero who died.

Family of Muyanga gorillas

There are three Silverback gorillas, two adult females, two subadults, and two babies in the Munyanga gorilla family right now. A strong Silverback named Munyaga leads this family. Until 1998, he was the only wild Silverback.

When Munyaga met the Nsekuye-led Buhanga group in February 1998, he used the fact that Silverback wasn’t in charge to become a leader. Munyaga lost all of his women to the Kabirizi group after interacting with them a few times. Munyaga, the dominant silverback, was said to have been lost for two years, from 2007 to 2008. Mawazo used the fact that he was missing to become the leader of the Munyaga gorilla family.

Family of Mapuwa Gorillas

Mapuwa Silverback started the Mapuwa group in 1998. For a life by himself, Mapuwa and his brother Ruzirabwoba left the Rugendo group in August 1995. That same year, in 1998, Mapuwa made his own group by taking two women from the Lulengo group and calling them Kagofero and Kanepo. In the Mapuwa group, there are 22 people: 3 Silverbacks, 3 Blackbacks, 6 adult females, 2 subadult females, 4 toddlers, and 5 babies.

Family of Lulengo Gorillas

The Musekura mountain gorilla family used to be called the Lulengo Gorilla family. The name was changed to Lulengo, though, in honor of Lulengo, the technical head of Virunga National Park who was killed by a land mine. There are 9 people in the family: a silverback, three triplets, a male that is not quite adult, and three babies. Changes in gorilla numbers are caused by many things.

In this group, Lulengo is the leader silverback. He comes from the Rugabi gorilla family. During the Great Lakes Refugee Crisis in 1994, hunters shot and killed Rugabo, Lulengo’s father. Near the border between DR Congo and Uganda, in Jomba, you can start a hike to this group.

Kabirizi Family of Gorillas

This group used to be called the Ndungutse family, after the well-known silverback. But this silverback was killed in 1997 when he got caught in the middle of a fight between rebel groups and the DR Congo Army at the Bukima guard post. The name Kabirizi comes from the ICCN head who died in a car accident in 1990. The group is led by a humble but strong silverback. He got his name, Kabirizi, from his family and lived in the wild without being tamed until 1998, when he did.

At the moment, a young silverback named Masibo is his rival. The Kabirizi group has 19 people in it. When you go on a walk with this gorilla family, it starts at the Bukima patrol post. You should book your gorilla hunting trip three months before you arrive.

Family of Bageni Gorillas

The Bukima and Gatovu parts of Virunga National Park are where the Bageni family lives most of the time. There is one Silverback, two Blackbacks, ten adults, one subadult, three teenagers, and nine babies in the Bageni group. As of January 2013, Bageni the Silverback broke away from the group his father led, the Kabirizi group. Along with his mother Mapendo and brothers, Bageni put together a group of 20 people called Bageni. People who go gorilla climbing in the Congo like the Bageni family the most because it is the calmest and best for taking pictures.

The Nyekamwe family of gorillas

In the DRC’s Virunga National Park, the Silverback Nyakamwe is in charge of the Nyakamwe group in the Bukima area. The Humba group broke up in 2014, which is why we started the Nyakamwe group. On April 20, 2014, Nyakamwe Silverback and his brother Humba broke up because of problems within the group. This left the Humba group with only five members. Today, there are 15 people in the Nyakamwe group: 3 Silverbacks, 4 female adults, 2 subadults, 3 children, and 3 babies.

Family of Humba Gorillas
This group has 16 gorillas and one silverback. It can be found in the Bukima area, close to the Goma secteur. Humba is the most powerful silverback in this group.