Gorilla Families in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

Visitors have the unique chance to witness these amazing primates in their natural environment at Virunga National Park, where eight gorilla families are habituated for gorilla tracking throughout the year.

Family of Rugendo Gorillas

Dating back to 1985, the Rugendo family was among the first groups of gorillas to become used to the Bukima Sector and the park as a whole. Originally including nine members, this Bukima Sector family was headed by Rugendo, a powerful silverback. Regretfully, in early 2001, rebels killed Rugendo.

After Rugendo died away, the silverback Senkwekwe took over as leader and headed the family until his untimely death in 2007 along with the deaths of four other members. As a result of this incident, the Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage was established in 2007 in Rumangabo, the Virunga National Park headquarters.

Until 2008, when a lone silverback named Bukima took charge, the Rugendo family lacked a strong leader. Prior to taking over the Rugendo group, Bukima is said to have spent some time with the Munyaga family and had previously become solitary in 2005 after splitting from the Buhanga family.
After Rugendo died away, the silverback Senkwekwe took over as leader and headed the family until his untimely death in 2007 along with the deaths of four other members.

Munyaga Gorilla family

The nine members of the Munyaga family, led by Silverback Mawazo, currently reside in the Bukima Sector of Virunga National Park. Before he met the Buhanga family, which at the time lacked a strong leader, Munyaga was a lone silverback. Munyaga took advantage of the situation and became the group’s leader in February 1998.

Munyaga was well-known for being a fearless and daring silverback who regularly engaged with other gorilla families. Munyaga vanished for around two years until 2008 as a result of these encounters, which ultimately resulted in the loss of all his females to the Kabirizi family. Silverback Mawazo, who is still in charge of the Munyaga family today, filled the leadership void created by his absence. 

The Gorilla Family of Mapuwa

Under the direction of Silverback Mapuwa, the Mapuwa family, which currently numbers 22, lives in the Jomba area of Virunga National Park. Mapuwa, a former member of the Rugendo family and the son of a former Rugendo silverback, founded the family in late 1998.

Mapuwa is renowned for being a daring and astute silverback that frequently interacts with other gorilla families. He gained two females, Kagofero and Kanepo, from the Lulengo family as a result of his contacts, strengthening and expanding his family. 

Lulengo Gorilla Family

Silverback Lulengo is presently the head of the Lulengo family, which has nine members and is located in the Jomba Sector of Virunga National Park. When this family was first acclimated in 1985, starting with two females, it was referred to as the Rugabo group. The early history of the family was shaped by the tragic death of these females in the Jomba region in 1994. 

Bageni Gorilla Family

The Bukima and Gatovu areas of Virunga National Park are separated by the Bageni family. In January 2013, Bageni, a silverback, broke away from his father’s family, the Kabirizi family, to form this new family. In order to create a new family unit named after him, Bageni organized a group of twenty people, including his siblings and mother Mapendo.

With one dominant silverback, two blackbacks, 10 adult females, one sub-adult female, three juveniles, and nine newborns, the Bageni family now numbers 26. Under Silverback Bageni’s leadership, this orderly family is still thriving and adding to the park’s vibrant gorilla population. 

Nyakamwe Gorilla Family

The Bukima Sector of Virunga National Park is home to the Nyakamwe family. The family broke up in 2014 after Silverback Nyakamwe, who is renowned for being audacious and forceful, got into a fight with his brother Humba. Six people remained with Humba after Nyakamwe took ten members with him.

There are currently eleven members of the Nyakamwe family: two silverbacks, one blackback, three adult females, one sub-adult female, two adolescents, and two newborns. The family is still thriving in the park’s abundant gorilla habitat under Nyakamwe’s direction. 

Humba Gorilla Family

The Humba family, led by silverback Humba, currently consists of 10 members, including three silverbacks, two adult females, one sub-adult female, two juveniles, and two infants. This family primarily moves between the Gatovu and Bikenge sectors of Virunga National Park. 

The group was originally formed in 1998 after a major split from Rugendo, the dominant silverback of the Rugendo family. Humba left with six members, including his brother Nyakamwe, while Rugendo retained nine individuals. By 2014, the Humba family had grown to 16 members, which eventually led to tensions and a further split, with Nyakamwe taking 10 members and leaving six under Humba’s leadership. 

Kabirizi Gorilla Family

The Kabirizi family, lead by silverback Kabirizi, lives in the Bukima Sector of Virunga National Park and has 19 members. The Zunguruka family was once led by an elder silverback who died of old age. His eldest son, Silverback Ndungutse, took up leadership when his father was tragically killed by gunfire during a skirmish between Rwandan rebels and the Congolese army near the Bukima patrol post.

This left a leadership void, which was temporarily filled by Buhanga, Ndungutse’s brother, who headed 13 people. In 1998, Kabirizi and three other family members separated due to internal problems. Kabirizi, known for his brazen and combative personality, frequently clashed with family members, losing two of them in conflicts with his brothers, Karateka and Buhanga. 

Buhanga died, and his sister, Nsekuye, took over control. However, her leadership was short-lived due to her failure to enforce power, allowing silverback Munyaga to step in. Kabirizi then launched many strategic strikes, progressively strengthening his position. Today, silverback Kabirizi successfully leads a large gorilla family of 19 in the Bukima region.