Mountain Gorillas Families in Virunga National Park

One group of mountain Gorillas in Congo is the Kabirizi family in Virunga National Park is found in Bukima sector adjacent to Goma. This mountain Gorilla group in Congo is composed of 34 mountain Gorillas and two silverbacks, led by Kabirizi Silver back. Initially, the Kabirizi silverback was a wild Gorilla up to late in 1998 when he was named the head of his family after habituation. The Kabirizi family was formally called the Ndungutse family because by then it was led by Ndungutse Silverback.

The Humba family of mountain Gorillas in Congo is led by Humba silverback, also found in Bukima sector of Virunga national park, close to Goma. The Humba group of Gorillas in Congo is comprised of 16 Gorillas including 2 Silverbacks. This group of gorillas in Congo is the calmest of Congo`s habituated Gorilla groups and is most liked for gorilla tracking in Congo.

The Mapuwa family of mountain gorillas in Congo is comprised of 15 members of mountain gorillas with 1 silverback. This group of gorillas in Congo is found in Jomba near Bunagana (Congo-Uganda border). The Gorilla group is led by Mapuwa-a son of Rugendo and a silverback who has acquired and protected his family. Mapuwa left his father’s camp in 1998, along with Jicho and mafaze, the two adult female Gorillas and started his own gorilla family. Mapuwa Gorilla continuously staged raids to acquire more female gorillas. In 2002, he attacked Pili-Pili and raided 3 individuals of female gorillas from him. Repeated births have occurred and now the Mapuwa family has 15 individuals.

This family of gorillas in Congo has 6 gorillas and 1 silverback. The gorilla group is led by Lulengo (the silverback) himself and is also found in Jomba near Bunagana (Congo-Uganda border). The gorilla silverback-Lulengo was born in the Rugabo Family of gorillas-the first mountain gorilla family in the Mikeno Sector to be habituated. Lulengo took over power of the gorilla group after the death of his father Rugabo.

This Gorilla group in Congo is sited in Bukima near Goma. The Munyaga family of gorillas in Congo has 7 mountain gorillas with 2 silverbacks. This gorilla group was the last to be established by park rangers in 2008. The family was led by Munyaga by then the Silverback and the dominant adult female is named Bilali. Currently, the Munyaga family is led by Muwazo as the dominant silverback.