Congo Mountain Gorilla Families
Congo Mountain Gorilla Families
Congo Mountain Gorilla Families: Virunga National Park has about 6 gorilla families for tracking. Due to instabilities in the area the approximate number of gorillas in not quite know but the last census estimated them to be over 100 with about 7 new born that’s in 2013. Lets look at the six groups of these endangered gorillas I this national park
Munyaga Family
This family is led by Munyaga the dominant silver back with Bilali as the dominant female. The group has 7 gorillas with two siverbacks. The group is located in Bukima near the Goma area. This is the most recent group to be discovered and habituated.
The dominant female joined this group from the Rugendo family and came with two babies and one died in infancy. The Dominant male is missing for now and the group is temporarily headed by Mawazo who moved from the buhanga family.
Kabirizi Family
This group is also found near the Goma area and its headed by the dominant silverback Kabirizi. The group has 34 members with two silverbacks.
The Group derives its name from the ICCN director who died in a fatal car accident in the 1990s. The group was formerly known as Ndungutse led by Ndungutsehimself who died during a rebel war in the area.
Lulengo Family
This group has 6 gorillas with one silverback and is led by Lulengo himself. Its found in Jomba near Bunagana. Lulengo was part of the Rugambo family which was the first family to be habituated.
This slive back got its name from the former technical director of the Virunga national Park who was killed by a land mine.
Humba Family
This family has 16 gorillas and one silverback. It is found in the Bukima area near the Goma sector. Humba is the dominant silverback and he heads this group himself.
This is the calmest family in this park is it is preferred to be tracked by everyone. Humba split from the Rugendo his father in 1998.
Mapuwa Family
The group is found in Jomba near Bunagana. It has 15 members with one silver back. Mapuwa is the head of this family and he is also son to Rugendo and brother to Humba.
He left his father in 1998 to form his group and has been head since then. He is so protective of his family more than any other siver back.
Rugendo Family
Rugendo is the father to Humba and Mapuwa. This group has 6 members with 3 silver backs. This was the first group to be habituated in 1989. When Humba split for his father, there was a decrease in number because he left with some members.
The group then reduced t0 8. There was increase there after due to concecutive births but the instability in the area claimed the life of some of the gorillas including Rugendo himself in 2001.
