Rushaga Sector Gorilla Groups

Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to 8 (eight) habituated gorilla groups open for gorilla trekking, the sector also has two gorilla groups reserved for research and habituation experiences.  Rushaga is noted for hosting more fully habituated gorilla groups than any other sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and is the only sector in Bwindi and the whole world where gorilla habituation experience can be done. 

Gorilla families in Rushaga sector

Gorilla families/ groups in Rushaga Sector include Nshongi Gorilla Family, Mishaya Gorilla Family, Busingye Gorilla Family, Bweeza Gorilla Family, Kahungye Gorilla Family, Bikingi SGorilla Family, Mucunguzi Gorilla Family and Rwiigi Gorilla Family.

• Nshongi Gorilla Family — 8 Members 

Nshongi gorilla group was once one of the big gorilla families in Rushaga sector, initially the group had 34 members including several males. Over time intra-male rivalry in the group caused some notable males to leave the group, In July of 2010, some members of Nshongi gorilla family left to form the Mishaya family and again joined other members to form the Bweza gorilla group in the August of 2012.  Currently, Nshongi gorilla family has 8 members under the dominant leadership of Silverback Bweza. The family is composed of 1 silverback, 1 black back, 3 Adult females, 1 Sub-adults and 2 Infants. The name Nshongi originates from the Nshongi River where members of the group where found. 

• Mishaya Gorilla Family — 10 Members

Mishaya gorilla family is a relatively new gorilla group in Rushaga Sector, as per the intial information the formation of the Mishaya group happened in July 2010 when the Nshongi group split to form another family led by Silverback Mishaya.  The sole dominant silver of Misha family died on 3rd February 2014 from an obstruction of the intestinal gut, this resulted into an unmonitored dispersal of the remnant group members as they had no other adult male to guide and protect them through their jungle foraging excursions.  Some of the members of the group sought solace with the Bweza gorilla family, others joined the Biking groups while researchers could not immediately trace the whereabouts of the other members. Some of the remnants of the Mishaya group where re-discovered by the researchers in May 2018 and they are under the leadership of silverback Tinfayo – a former member of the Nshongi gorilla family, Tinfayo left Nshongi group in 2012 with one Adult female by names of Shida and her infant Rotary.  Re- habilitation of the newly rediscovered members of the Mishaya group members became inevitable to keep monitoring the already habituated members, Mishaya gorilla group is the latest addition to the Rushaga sector gorilla groups and it is available for daily gorilla trekking excursions.  Mishaya Gorilla Family is currently under the leadership of dominant Silverback – Tinfayo who is known for his carefree demeanor and brutal encounters with other silverbacks in the jungle of Bwindi, the name Tinfayo means unconcerned (cool, calm, collected, composed, indifferent, laid-back or casual).  Mishaya Gorilla Family is composed of 10 members including 1 Silverback, 1 Black back, 4 Adult females, 1 Sub-adult female and 3 infants. 

• Busingye Gorilla Family – 12 members  

Busingye is a family of 12 members under a leadership of dominant silverback Busigye, the name Busingye is from a local dialect world that means “peaceful” (conflct-free, calm, restful, composed or noiseless) but his demeanor is quite the opposite.  Busigye has been observed to lead brutal attacks on other gorilla families as a way of expanding his family size, almost all the family members of this gorilla family were initially habituated in the Kahungye gorilla group before the fission in 2018. In March 2012, silverback led a splint from Kahungye to form the Busingye group.    Busingye gorilla family is composed of 12 individuals including 1 Silverback, 1 Black back, 5 Adult females, 3 Juveniles and 2 infants.   Silverback Busingye is one of the most entertaining gorilla groups in Rushaga Sector with 5 young ones in Bwindi’s Rushaga, these young ones are exceptionally playful and their father lets them play around him where he can watch closely. 

1. Bweza Gorilla Family — 11 Members

Bweza Gorilla Ground is a group of 11 members under a leadership of Silverback Kakono, some of the members of Nshongi gorilla family trusted Kakono to lead them as they broke away from Silverback Bweza and joined to form their own family.  Silverback Bweza led the old Nshongi group which split from the Bweza group as Silverback Kakono leads the new Bweza Group.  Bweza Gorilla Group has 11 members including 3 Silverbacks, 4 Adult females, 1 Juvenile and 3 Infants. 

• Kahungye Gorilla Family — 13 Members

Kahungye gorilla family is a group of 13 members with Silverback Ruziika a dominant silverback.  The habituation process of this gorilla family started in 2008 with about 29 individuals including 3 adult males (silverbacks – Riziiki, Busingye and Rwiigi) who always got involved in frequent intra-male rivalry. In March 2012, mature silverback Busingye started the fission that split the members to create the Busingye gorilla family, Busingye left the group with 19 family members. Not too long after silverback Rwiigi also split away from the group and left with some females to create his own group.  Kahungye is one of the most interesting gorilla groups to watch in Rushaga sector and Bwindi impenetrable national park. 

• Bikingi Gorilla Family — 10 Members

Bikingi gorilla family was founded by Silverback Bikingi who died on 9th 2018 after a brutal encounter with alone wild silverback around the Rushaga sector, the group is now led by this unnamed silverback. Before the death of silverback Bikingi, a solitary male silverback occasionally attacked the group violently seeking dominance. The last fight fetched his leadership leaving Bikingi down for good, after his death the group members dispersed joining other groups like the 7 individuals who joined the Mucunguzi group.  However, an intensive search found the lone (unnamed) silverback retained 9 members royal to his leadership. UWA decided to maintain their original name Bikingi and closely monitor the gorilla group.   The habituation process of this group was launched of UWA in early 2012 as a follow –up exercise of the disintegrated Mishaya group, during the process they discovered that several members from the Mishaya group lived alongside other non-habituated members in the group. Later Uganda Wildlife Authority declared the Bikingi group for the habituation proceed and to keep a close eye on the formerly habituated members.  Bikingi gorilla family has 10 members include 1 silverback, 1 black back, 4 adult females, 2 juveniles and 2 infants 

• Mucunguzi Gorilla Family — 12 Members

Mucunguzi gorilla family is a family of 12 members with silverback Mucunguzi as their leader, the group is named after the dominant male and the name Mucunguzi means “redeemer” in local language.   Silverback Mucunguzi left the Bweza family at maturity to roam the jungle on his own, after a few years of solitary years, he attacked the Bikingi gorilla family and snatched away enough females to start his own family with.  Mucunguzi gorilla group currently has 12 members.   

• Rwiigi Gorilla Family — 10 Members

Rwiigi gorilla family is a newly formed gorilla family by members that separated from the Kahungye gorilla family, the group gets its name from its dominant silverback Rwiigi. This name means an entrance or door in the local language.  All the members in the Rwiigi group were already habituated in Kahungye before joining to form Rwiigi group, so the group did not go through habituation process but its whereabouts where closely monitored by Uganda Wildlife Authority.  Rwiigi gorilla group has 10 members including 1 Silverback, 5 Adult Females, 2 Juveniles and 2 Infants.