Gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda
Gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda : Volcanoes national park situated in the far northwest of Rwanda is the most popular safari destination in Rwanda and a gorilla destination protecting the steep slopes of the Virunga Mountain range.
Volcanoes national park is famously known for being a home to the endangered mountain gorillas and a rich mosaic of montane ecosystems comprising of bamboo forest, open grassland, swamp and heath. The park lies in the Great Virunga Conservation Area stretching along the chain of dormant volcanoes together with Mgahinga Gorilla national park in Uganda and Virunga national park in D.R. Congo. Volcanoes national park covering an area of 160 square meters gets its name from the chain of Virunga Volcanoes and it comprises of 5 out of 8 volcanoes that are Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo.
Volcanoes national park is one of the best gorilla destinations in the world hosting approximately 3380 mountain gorillas with 10 habituated gorilla families open for gorilla trekking experience. Gorilla families in Volcanoes national park are as listed and explained below
Agashya gorilla group
Agashya group originally know as Group 13 is a group of 27 members under the leadership of a dominant silverback Agashya, this group was lead by silverback Nyakarima before Agashya took over after challenging him to a deadly fight. After the fight which he won, Agashya moved the entire group up to the volcano.
Initially Agashya group has 13 members, however it has grown to 27 members. Agashya has increased his members by stealing members from other groups and taking on loners.
Agashya gorilla group is lives near the Sabyinyo group, because of the location where the group stays. It is difficult to track.
Sabyinyo Gorilla group
Sabyinyo Gorilla group is one of the small gorilla groups in Volcanoes national park with 12 members and under the leadership of the dominant silverback Guhonda, a remarkable silverback weighing 220 kilograms making it to be the largest silverback in Volcanoes national park. Silverback Guhonda has kept his group together and he has done this by excluding and relegating his rival silverback Ryango out of the group.
Sabyinyo Gorilla group lives around Mount Sabyinyo “Old Man’s teeth” and it is from this volcano that the group gets its name. This group stays near the edge of the park and is known its playful juveniles.
Titus Gorilla group
Titus gorilla group is a special group loved by Dian Fossey – an American primatologist who dedicated her life to staying and conservation of gorillas, Dian Fossey has a lot of memories with this group as she witnessed the how the leader of this group being born, she was also there when his father, brother and uncle Digit were brutally poached. This was a horrific encounter which forced the gorilla’s mother and sister very traumatized and forced to join other families for safety.
In Titus’ efforts of repopulating the group to fill up the emptiness left by the death of his father and uncle, he fathered 20 babies with 5 females in his group and lots from others. By the time of his death in September 2009 at the age of 35, he was overthrown by his son Kuryama – the incumbent king of the Titus Monarchy.
Digit, Titus’s uncle is a known for having featured in the Documentary about Dian Fossey “Gorillas in the Mist”, he is also the main characters featured in “The Gorilla King” a documentary film by BBC of 2008.
Titus Gorilla Group is found on the eastern slopes of the Karisoke Volcano not so far from the grave of their Godmother, Dian Fossey.
Amahoro Gorilla group
Amahoro Gorilla group is a group of 17 members under the leadership of dominant silverback Ubumwe, the name of this group Amahoro is a Kinyarwanda language meaning someone or something whose peacefulness is profoundly inspiring.
While visiting Amahoro Gorilla group, you are advised not to look Ubumwe directly in the eyes to avoid trouble
Amahoro gorilla group consists of 2 black backs, 5 infant gorillas, 4 juveniles, 2 silverbacks and 4 adult mothers.
Susa A Gorilla Group
Susa Group also known as The Susa A Gorilla group is an amazing gorilla group in Volcanoes national park made famous by Diani Fossey – the zoologist and her research activities. This group is one of the unique groups of gorillas where a mother gave birth to twins and took care of them, normally when a female gorilla gives birth twins, it means a stressful phase a head but this female gorilla defied the odd and mothered both of her cheerful twins that are Impano and Byishimo.
Currently Susa A gorilla group has 28 members with 3 silverbacks, initially this gorilla group has 42 gorilla families before other members broke off because of a feud to form the Susa B group also known as Karisimbi group.
Umubano Gorilla group
Umubano Gorilla group is a group of 13 members including one silverback, a blackback, 6 infants and 3 adult females under the leadership of dominant silverback Charles.
This gorilla group was formed as after silverback Charles broke away from Ubumbwe – the leader of Amahoro dominant silverback, Charles left with some females to start the Umubano Gorilla group. The name Umubano is a Kinyarwanda word meaning living together in harmony.
Karisimbi Gorilla Group “Susa B”
Karisimbi Gorilla Group also known as Susa B was formed after splitting from the Susa A group in 2008, initially this group has 9 members but it has grown to 15 members due to multiple births.
This gorilla group lives in the higher ranges of Mountain Karisimbi – the highest mountain in Rwanda at 4,507 meters. Trekking this gorilla group is a long trek but very rewarding with beautiful scenery worth your money.
Hirwa Gorilla Group
Hirwa Gorilla Group is a relatively new gorilla group in Volcanoes national park formed by some members from Group 13 and Sabyinyo gorilla group, this gorilla group is known for being one of the only 7 groups in Virunga region with twins under the leadership of Silverback Hirwa.
The formation of Hirwa Gorilla Group was witnessed in 2006 and currently has 16 members including twins, this group lives on the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo and its name Hirwa is a Kinyarwanda name meaning “lucky one” in reference to the group being lucky to have more individuals join the group voluntarily.
Kwitonda Gorilla Group
Kwitonda Gorilla Group is a group of 23 members with 3 dominant silverbacks under the leadership of dominant Silverback Akarevuro, other dominant silverback in this group are Magumu and Kigoma.
Kwitonda Gorilla Group used to live in Virunga national park and then migrated and settled in the lower slopes of Mt. Sabyinyo and Mt. Gahinga in 2003, by then this family was under the leadership of dominant silverback Kwitonda who died in 2012 after making 40 years.
This group is named after silverback Kwitonda who led this group from war torn area of Congo to their current home in Volcanoes national park.
Bwenge Gorilla Group
Bwenge Gorilla Group is a group of 11 members under the leadership of silverback
After being overthrown as head of Titus group, silverback Titus formed the Beetsme group group in 2007and he has been the leader of this group for over 5 years. In his reign, he has fathered over 20 babies from within his group and females from other groups. One of these babies was Bwenge, an ambitious son and when he was clocking 19 years, he led a revolution that lead to the formation of Bwenge group named after him.
Silverback Bwenge formed this group with 2 females from his former group and other females from Pablo’s group, this group is found in the slopes of Mountain Karisoke. Over the years this group has so far lost 6 infants who have fallen victims for fights with other groups.
Members of Bwenge group featured in the block buster movie “Gorillas in the Mist”.
Ugenda Gorilla Group
Ugenda Gorilla Group is a group of 11 gorilla families including 2 silverbacks, this group lives around the Karisimbi area and is known for always being on the move which explains its name “Uganda” a kinyarwanda word meaning “being on the move”
Tracking Uganda Gorilla Group is very difficult on some day because of the moving nature of the group.
