A Comprehensive Look into Rwanda’s Gorilla Families’ Lives.

Only guests on gorilla expeditions in Volcanoes National Park get to watch Rwanda gorilla families in action. Volcanoes National Park, located in Rwanda‘s northwest, is home to thirteen gorilla families. Ten of the thirteen gorillas are fully habituated, certainly making hiking possible. Habituation experiences with the other three gorilla families are more exciting than the typical excursion to the gentle giants. Researchers and Rangers monitor the activities and offer information about the gorillas’ demographics and history.

Rwanda gorilla families.

Susa. The Susa River in the breathtaking Volcanoes National Park is the source of the name of this family of gorillas. Another name for this family is Susa A. It got its name from the river since the family would hang around its banks. It gained popularity as a result of Diane Fossey‘s studies at the Karisoke studies Centre. Trekking this group in Volcanoes National Park is by far the most difficult. Susa now consists of 28 members, including the twins Impano and Byishimo and three silverbacks.

Karisimbi. Volcanoes National Park is home to another fascinating family, Karisimbi, sometimes referred to as Susa B. It got the name because it was initially spotted at the foot of Mount Karisimbi in the National Park. Nyagakangaga, a prevailing silverback, is in charge of it. There are four silverbacks, one adult female, one blackback, and two babies among its eleven members.

Sabinyo. The gorilla family Sabyinyo took its name from Mount Sabinyo. This family’s initial sighting was near the foot of the Sabyinyo mountain, hence the name. In English, the term “sabyinyo” means “old man’s teeth.” Sabinyo, the late silverback, served as its leader. Currently leading this fascinating family is Guhonda, a gigantic silverback. It consists of seven individuals that is one silverback, three females, two young gorillas, and a youngin.

Umubano. The remarkable coexistence of the Umubano family members makes them stand out in the forest. The pleasant nature of this family of gorillas gave birth to the moniker Umubano. Umabano is a Kinyarwanda word translating to neighbourliness in English. There are currently thirteen members in this family: six babies, three adult females, one subadult, and one silverback.

Kwitonda. The Kwitonda gorilla family takes its name from their initial dominant silverback. Akarevuro, who was a juvenile during Kwitonda’s rule, currently leads the family. There are two additional silverbacks in the group: Magumu and Kigoma. Kwitonda died at the age of 40, leaving the group with a population of 28, where it now stands.

Amahoro. Amahoro has seventeen members. The family is well-known for their peaceful demeanour, making them a popular hiking family among tourists. The English meaning of “amahoro” means peaceful. This family consists of one silverback, two blackbacks, five juveniles, five adult aunties, and four baby gorillas. Ubumwe, the giant silverback, is in command of it.

Hirwa. The English translation of hirwa is “lucky one.” After having disagreements with the silverbacks in the Susa family, Munyiga split away to start his own clan which is the current Hirwa. There are 13 total members of Hirwa that is 1 silverback, 2 subadults, 2 blackbacks, 2 adult females, 3 juveniles, and 3 babies.

Agashya. Among the largest families in Volcanoes National Park is the Agashya family. It is often referred to as group 13 and is made up of 25 members. There is one silverback, twelve females, seven infants, and three juveniles in it. Agashya, which translates to “news” in English, was given this name in honour of Agashya, their dominant silverback who came before Nyakairima.

Bwenge. Bwenge is another thrilling family available for trekking in Volcanoes National Park,. The fact that trekking it is so easy makes it one of the most popular families. As the members of this family exemplify wisdom, the word “Bwenge” describes them. With one silverback, Bwenge consists of eleven members. In a terrible jungle event, this family made headlines when it lost six infants. In Volcanoes National Park, it is widely recognised since it was included in the internationally watched wildlife documentary, Gorillas in the Mist.

Ugyenda. The Kinyarwanda word ugyenda translates to “on the move” in English. The family’s constant wanderings within the Volcanoes bush earned them the nickname. Ugyenda has two silverbacks and eleven other teammates. Additionally, this family of gorillas typically live in the vicinity of Mount Karisimbi.

Titus. The Titus gorilla group is yet another thrilling family to walk in Volcanoes National Park. This intriguing family is one of the National Park’s oldest groupings. It was originally intended solely for scientific purposes. The group was led by Titus, a silverback born during Dian Fossey’s exhaustive studies at Karisoke.

Isimbi. The Isimbi family is renowned for its extraordinary ability to overcome various obstacles in the forest. They endured multiple fights with other families within the park, resulting in the deaths of numerous silverbacks during their replacement from the Getty era to Muterengere. At the moment, the group consists of 16 members that is one silver buck, four adult females, seven juveniles, and four infants.

Muhoza. Another fascinating gorilla family to see in Volcanoes National Park’s boundaries is the Muhoza group. There are seventeen members in total that is; one silverback, seven adult females, one subadult, one juvenile, and seven newborns. Marambo, another fearless silverback snatched two adult females from the Hirwa group and is the leader of the Muhoza group.

Conclusion.

To sum it up, a gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda will ensure that you meet one of the above families since there is a wide range of options.

To get started with the trip arrangements,  SEND INQUIRY to chat with one of our safari specialists, who will consider your preferences and create a plan around them. Alternatively, feel free to contact us directly at  +256 393 247 137 / +256 742 678 918 or email us at  info@ibuthsafaris.com.