Habinyanja Gorilla Group

The Buhoma sector is home to several mountain gorilla families, including the Habinyanja Gorilla Group. It appears that Buhoma is one of the ten habituated gorilla groups that live in different parts of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

This family was one of the first to get acclimated in Uganda, in contrast to other families. The Habinyanja Gorilla Group was first observed by tourists in 1999, two years after it was habituated in 1997.

The Habinyanja gorilla troop was initially sighted near a swamp in the Buhoma region, and the name comes from a local word called “Nyanja,” which means “a place with water.”

Mugurisi, a silverback whose name came from a local expression meaning “old man’s teeth,” was in charge of this gang. Following Mugurisi’s death from old age, two brothers, Mwirima and Rwansigazi, who shared power, were unable to maintain their position as leaders due to a lack of interest.

Mwirima liked to be close to family, but Rwansigazi was an adventurous leader who enjoyed to travel.

Family of Habiyanja Gorillas

In 2002, the two silverbacks parted ways amicably. The Habinyanja were the ones who stayed with Rwansigazi, while the Rushegura family was the group that stayed with Mwirima.

The Habinyanja Gorilla Group’s leader later relinquished his position to Makara, who is currently in charge of running the household.

When one of the group’s black backs, Mizano, a highly amiable mountain gorilla, was discovered dead in 2011, the group received sad news. There were several spear wounds on his shoulders and neck.

According to reports, Mizano was killed when he collided with a gang of poachers and their dogs. While protecting his family from poachers, he lost his life. According to reports, this was the first poaching event since 1995.

Today, the Habinyanja Gorilla Group travels across the jungle every day. Trekking with this family and its eighteen members requires additional energy.

Please be aware that when new babies are born, elderly family members pass away, or a new person enters the family, this number fluctuates.

Do you want to hike the Habinyanja Gorilla Family specifically? With one of our safari packages, you may visit the impenetrable national park of Bwindi and spend an entire hour with this enigmatic family.