Gorilla families in Congo

A Comprehensive Overview of the Gorilla Families of Virunga

Congo is one of the three countries in the globe that are endowed with mountain gorillas.

These primates, which share 95% of their DNA with humans, reside in the renowned Virunga National Park.

According to reports, it is the most frequently visited chimpanzee trekking park in the Congo.

Tours of the Congolese gorillas

Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is home to eight habituated gorilla families, as illustrated below.

Bageni Gorilla Group

The Bukima and Gatovu sections of Virunga National Park are the locations of the Bageni gorilla family.

With 26 members, this is the largest mountain gorilla family in Virunga.

This organization exists as an offshoot of the Kabirizi chimpanzee family.

Bageni, the dominant silverback, seceded from the Kabirizi family to establish his own organization.

Nyakamwe Gorilla Family

The Nyakamwe Gorilla Family was established in 2014 when the dominant silverback Nyakamwe separated from his family, Humba, to establish his own.

There are 11 members of this organization, and it is possible to trek in the Bukima region of Virunga National Park.

Munyaga Gorilla Family

Gasore is the dominant member of the Munyaga gorilla family, which consists of only seven members.

Visitors enjoy trekking with the group, despite the fact that it comprises only seven members, as it is one of the fortunate groups to possess a pair of twins from Bilali.

The group’s name is derived from its former leader, Munyaga, who was superseded by Mazawo, who was in turn succeeded by Gasore.

Lulengo Gorilla Family

In the Jomba region of the park, which is situated near the Uganda-Congo frontier, it is possible to make a trek with the Lulengo Gorilla Family.

The silverback Lulengo is the dominant member of the family, which consists of nine members.

The Lulengo gorilla family was originally known as the Musekura gorilla family. However, the name was changed in honor of a park director who was killed by a land mine.

Mapuwa Gorilla Family

The Mapuwa gorilla family is also situated in Jomba, which is in close proximity to the frontier between Uganda and Congo.

Before the current silverback, Mvuyekure, assumed control of the group, Mapuwa was the dominant silverback.

Twenty-two members comprise the organization.

Rugendo Gorilla Family

The Rugendo gorilla family is one of the earliest habituated gorilla families in Virunga National Park.

The group was named after the silverback Rugendo, who was in control at the time of habituation; however, Bukima currently holds the position of dominance.

Rugendo, who had 18 members, was in charge of the group. Humba, his son, separated from the group with 10 members to establish his own gorilla family.

During the Congolese army’s combat with Rwandan rebels, Rugendo lost his life.

Family of Humba Gorillas

In 1998, Humba fought with his father, Rugendo, and seized ten members to establish his own gorilla family. This was the beginning of the Humba gorilla family.

Subsequently, Nyakamwe separated from this organization in order to establish his own family.

Within the Gatovu and Bikengi sectors of the park, it is possible to trek with Humba’s group.

Kabirizi Gorilla Family

The Bukima section, located near Goma, is the starting point for a trek to the Kabirizi gorilla family.

Kabirizi, an ICNN director who perished in a traffic accident, served as the inspiration for the organization’s name.

Ndugutse initially dominated this group, and the name was also Ndugutse before it was changed to Kabirizi.

After becoming entangled in the crossfire between Rwandan insurgents and the Congo government in 1997, Ndugutse was mercilessly shot.

Kabirizi, a solitary gorilla, assumed control of the group following Ndugutses’s passing.