Gorilla Families in Rwanda

The land of a thousand hills, Rwanda, is without a doubt the best location in the world for gorilla trekking. Volcanoes National Park in the Musanze district is where this activity is taking place. Uganda has a higher portion of the remaining gorilla population than either Rwanda or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Susa, Karisimbi, Amahoro, Ugyenda, Umubano, Kwitonda, Hirwa, Bwenge, Agasha, Isimbi, Muhoza, and Titus are just a few of the twelve habituated gorilla groups in Rwanda, each with its own distinctive traits. Permit me to walk you through the treasure in more detail.

A List of all Gorilla Families in Rwanda

 Susa Family (A), 33 individuals and 2 silverbacks

The lower foot of Mt. Karisimbi is home to the largest gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park. Despite the fact that there are only 33 members right now, there were 42 before the split. Years were devoted to the study of this particular group by Dian Fossey. This group is also the most intriguing but also the hardest to locate due to the twins in it. Despite being the most difficult to trek, the majority of tourists to the park pick it as their first choice.

Karisimbi Family, 15 individuals with 3 silverbacks.

Due to its separation from the original Susa Family, this group is often referred to as Susa B. It rambles along the Mount Karisimbi slopes, the tallest mountain in Rwanda at 4507 meters. The trek can be a little difficult because they frequently roam on top, but it is one of the rewarding groups in Volcanoes National Park. Therefore, it is perfect for hikers in good physical shape.

Sabinyo Family, 13 individuals with 2 silverbacks.

The Sabinyo group, formerly known as the Amavubi (wasps), evolved following the death of the dominating silver back and took its name from Mount Sabinyo, where it is primarily occupied. Kinyarwanda for “Old Man’s Teeth” is Sabinyo. Guhonda, one of the silverbacks in this family, is thought to be the biggest.

Agashya Family, 25 individuals with 1 silverback.

Over 13 mountain gorillas made up this group, which later increased to 25. This group was named after a strong Silverback named Agashya who rose to leadership after defeating former group leader Nyakarima in one of the park’s fiercest duel. It is stated that Agashya is extremely controlling and devoted to his group.

Amahoro Family, 17 individuals and 1 silverback.

Amahoro is a Kinyarwanda word that means peace. This group’s remarkable and kind nature, as shown by its silver back, gave rise to its name. This silverback is so calm because he has refused numerous challenges from other tribes, which cost them some of their female members. Although it is a bit difficult to trek this group, the hike rewards hikers with sightings of these spectacular wild animals in their natural habitat.

Umubano Family, 11 individuals with 1 silver back.

Umubano, the group’s name in Kinyarwanda means, “live together.” After breaking away from the Amahoro group to form its own, it came into existence. Despite occupying the same space, they continue to coexist peacefully and in harmony. As a result, Rwanda holds a yearly celebration called Kwita Izina when gorillas are given personalities-based names.

Titus family, 7 individuals with 1 silverback.

This gorilla family is one of the oldest in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. It has existed ever since Dian Fossey began conducting studies at the Karisoke studies Center. Numerous gorillas perished at the time of the widespread poaching, but Titus lived, which resulted in the founding of the group. After some time, Titus passed away in 2009 at the age of 35.

Kwitonda Family, 18 individuals with 2 silverbacks.

This is a difficult group to track. This group of gorillas, led by Kwitonda, means “humble one in Kinyarwanda” and is descended from gorilla groups in the Congo. They reside on the Mount Muhabura slopes, but their propensity to roam over a large geographic area makes tracking them challenging but intriguing.

Hirwa Family, 12 individuals and 1 silverbacks.

This family emerged after severing ties with the Sabinyo group. Hirwa, which means “lucky one” in the Kinyarwanda language, refers to the group’s good fortune in having a pair of twin gorillas and other members who joined voluntarily. This group disperses around Mount Sabinyo’s peaks.

Bwenge Family, 10 individuals and 1 silverback.

Bwenge, which means light, broke away from the original family in 2007, which led to the formation of this group. The family resides on Mount Bisoke adjacent to the Ugyenda family. This family, in contrast to other families, has gone through many tragedies, such as the loss of infants. However, these have been overcome by the recent births.

Ugyenda Family, 11 individuals and 1 silverback.

This group’s name comes from the local term “Ugyenda,” which signifies to be on the move. Its constant movement from location to location, which makes it challenging to traverse, is how it gained its name. These people can be located around Mount Karisimbi’s slopes.

Isimbi family, 13 individuals with 1 silverback.

This groups lives on the slopes of Mount Karisimbi in Volcanoes National Park. The group was formed after the Karisimbi gorilla family, which was too big and hence split in April 2013. Getty, who had previously led it, died tragically leaving Muturengere, an alpha silver back, in charge. This group is rated as a medium journey, and it is interesting to observe them.

Muhoza family, 14 individuals with 1 silverback.

This gorilla family is one of the newest in Volcanoes National Park, and Muhoza, one of the younger silverbacks, is in charge. The 460-pound alpha male silverback inspired the name of this group. In Volcanoes National Park, it is regarded as an accessible family since it is situated closer to the valley floor.

Finally, the Dian Fossey fund continues to conduct study on additional Rwandan families. Isabukuru, Mafunzo, Musilikale, and other names are among them. Depending on the family, finding the gorillas after a trek can take a varied amount of time, but the experience is the same and it takes an hour.