Uganda the pearl of Africa is a country gifted by nature harboring a variety of flora and fauna ranging from wildlife species like primates, mammals, and birds to beautiful landscapes. Uganda is home to more a half of the entire world’s population of mountain gorillas that live in the national parks of Bwindi and Mgahinga.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the southwestern region of Uganda. It is home to the largest number of endangered mountain gorillas in the country. These mountain gorillas are considered endangered as they are only found in the Virunga conservation area. This conservation area begins from Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo through Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga National Parks of Uganda to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. This Virunga conservation area hosts the remaining population of mountain gorillas. Of all the national parks that fall in this conservation, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park hosts the largest number of these endangered primates.

Mountain gorillas are social animals and live in groups known as gorilla families. Each gorilla family can have as many as 20-30 individuals or less. Each gorilla family has a dominant male gorilla known as a silverback which is the head of the family. It gets its name from the silver fur on their low backs which appears as their age.

How many gorilla families are in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has over 18 gorilla families however only 12 families are habituated and ready for trekking. These gorilla families in the park are scattered in the four different sectors of the park. These sectors include Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija, and Rushaga. The following are some of the gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Mubare Gorilla Family

This family is the oldest in Bwindi located in the Buhoma sector consisting of 10 gorilla individuals with one silverback. The Mubare gorilla family was habituated in 1998 in Mubare Hills with 12 individuals led by the silverback Ruhondeza. However, the family later grew to 18 individuals. This family lost many individuals due to fights with other gorilla families including the silverback Ruhondeza. In March 2013, the family had decreased to only 5 individuals but it has now increased to 11 individuals. The Mubare gorilla family has 6 adult females, 1 teenager, 3 toddlers, and 1 silverback Kanyonyi.

Habinyanja Gorilla Family

This family is also located in the Buhoma sector in Bwindi with over 17 members. The Habinyanja family was vast with over 25 members but later reduced due to internal fights for dominancy. These fights led to the splitting of this big family thus creating the Rushegura family.

Habinyanja family got its name from “Nyanja’’ which means a source of water in the local language Rukiga. This is because it was first sighted near a swamp pond in Bwindi in 1997. It was later in 1999 visited and trekked for the first time by tourists. This family has 17 individuals including 1 blackback, 5 adult females, 1 sub-adult, 3 juveniles, 6 infants, and Makara the silverback.

Rushegura Gorilla Family

The Rushegura gorilla family came together in 2002 with 12 individuals including 5 adult females after splitting from the Habinyanja family. The Rushegura gorilla family got its name from the local language “Ebishegura” a tree species that was abundant in the home area of this family. In 2010, the Rushegura family increased from 12 to 19 individuals led by the calm silverback Mwirima a brother to Rwansigazi a former silverback of the Habinyanja family. This family is considered the calmest family in Bwindi due to its interaction with the villages nearby and in the forest camps.

Bitukura Gorilla Family

Located in the Ruhija sector, the Bitukura family is one of the most peaceful and playful gorilla families in Bwindi. This family once had over 24 members but because of internal disputes, some individuals chose to willingly leave. This family now has 13 individuals including 5 silverbacks, 4 adult females, 2 juveniles, and 3 infants. It was first habituated in July 2007 and its habituation process was shorter lasting for about 15 months compared to other families that take 2 years.

The Bitukura gorilla family got its name from the river where they were first sighted. This family shares a close bond with the Kyaguriro family. The Bitukura family has 4 silverbacks but it is led by the second youngest silverback Ndahura. Ndahura inherited power from Karumanzi who is aged and can no longer defend the family.

Kyaguriro Gorilla Family

This family consists of 15 individuals and it is located in the Ruhija sector. This was habituated in 1995 and it is the most treasured family group because it is reserved for research. This family was once led by Rukina a silverback but unfortunately on 7th April 2015 at the age of 31 was struck by lightning and died. He was replaced by a younger silverback Mukiza but due to his inexperience, he was overthrown and banished from the family by an immigrating adult silverback Rukara.

Mukiza Gorilla Family

Named after its silverback Mukiza, this gorilla family is located in the Ruhija region. It consists of 10 individuals including 1 silverback, 4 adult females, 1 sub-adult, and 4 infants. This was formed after Mukiza the silverback from the Kyaguriro family was overthrown and banished by an immigrating adult silverback Rukara from the Bitukura family. Mukiza broke off the Kyaguriro family with a sizeable number of its individuals and started the Mukiza gorilla family.

Katwe Gorilla Family

Katwe Gorilla Family is located in the Buhoma sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It comprises of 9 individuals including 1 silverback, 2 blackbacks, 4 adult females, and 2 infants. It is the newest habituated gorilla family having gone about 3 years of habituation. In August of 2018, the Katwe gorilla family was opened for regular trekking.

Bweza Gorilla Family

Bweza Gorilla Family is located in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi and is habituated with 12 individual gorillas with Bweza being the dominant silverback. This family came into existence after it split from the Nshongi family. When Mishaya the silverback split from the large family of Nshongi, it formed its own Mishaya family. Later at the end of 2012, Bweza a silverback in this newly formed Mishaya family left together with other females.