Gorilla Groups in Buhoma Sector – Uganda’s Premier Gorilla Haven : Situated in the Northern Region of the park, Buhoma Sector is the most popular gorilla trekking sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and one of the four sectors available for gorilla trekking.
Buhoma Sector is the first gorilla trekking sector to be opened in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as well as Uganda, this sector is also the most popular and best gorilla trekking destination in the world. Buhoma Sector was opened in 1993 shortly after the establishment of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as a national park in 1991.
Also, Buhoma Sector is a special gorilla trekking sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park hosting the oldest habituated gorilla family in Uganda known as Mubare Gorilla Family. This family is also the first family in Uganda to be visited by the first team of visitors in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking adventure, Mubara Gorilla Family had 18 members with Silverback Ruhondeza as the dominant Silver by the time of its habituation.
Buhoma gorilla trekking sector currently has Five (5) habituated gorilla families available for gorilla trekking, this means a total of 40 gorilla permits are issued per day for gorilla trekking.
The following are the gorilla families open for gorilla trekking in Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Mubare Gorilla Family – 6 members
Mubare Gorilla Family is the oldest habituated gorilla family in Buhoma Sector as well as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this gorilla is special as it is the first gorilla family to be habituated and opened for gorilla trekking in Uganda and received its first tourists to do gorilla trekking in Bwindi on October 13, 1993.
Mubare Gorilla Group gets its name from the gorgeous Mubare Hills around Buhoma where the members of the group were first sighted by the researchers, when the group was availed for gorilla tourism. It was the leadership of Silverback Ruhondeza who had a dramatic tenure which led him to leave his leadership prematurely to live a solitary life in the nearby human village till his death in 2012 caused by old age.
He left the leaders of Mubare Family in the hands of his eldest son Silverback Kanyonyi, during his tenure he sustained injuries from an accidental fall from a high tree which left him too weak to defend his family.
It is noted that most members of the group cannot stand the harsh leadership of Maraya, a couple of the infants have fell victim to his wrath.
“Infanticide is a common practice among gorillas especially when unrelated leaders, this normally done as they are scared of competition”
Mubare gorilla family is uniquely known for its single make leadership and a strong male intolerance to intra – male competition.
Silverback Ruhondeza – the historical leader of the group is well known for practicing infanticide as a way to eliminate his would – be future competitors until old age which made him weak. In his old age, some mothers evaded his wrath leading to the survival of only two of his sons – Kanyonyi and Muyambi.
Silverback Ruhondeza is buried near the UWA main building in Buhoma and his grave can be visited after gorilla trekking.
Mubare gorilla group is one of the easiest gorilla groups to trek in Buhoma Sector as the group resides close to Buhoma Park’s headquarters where gorilla trekking excursions start from.
Habinyanja Gorilla Group – 18 members
Habinyanja Gorilla Group has 18 members with 1 silverback, 4 adult females, 4 blackbacks, 4 sub- adult females, 3 juveniles and 1 infant under the leadership of a dominant silverback Makara.
Habinyanja gorilla group is the second gorilla to be availed for gorilla trekking in Buhoma sector, Bwindi impenetrable national park in 1999, the name Habinyanja means “near the swamps” in the local Rukinga language and adopted from the swamp ponds in Buhoma where members of the group where first sighted by researchers.
Initially, Habinyanja gorilla family had 30 members under the leadership of powerful Mugurusi, however in 2002 some members split from the group to form their own group called Rushegura. Currently the group has 18 members including 1 Silverback, 4 Blackbacks, 4 Adult females, 4 Sub-adults, 3 Juveniles, and 1 Infant making it one of the biggest gorilla groups in Buhoma sector and Bwindi impenetrable national park as well.
Member of Habinyanja group are known for ranging further and colonizing new areas away from its initial home range areas beyond the Buhoma Sector, the group is also the most odious gorilla group to trek in Bwindi.
Rushegura Gorilla Group
Rushegura gorilla group is a group of 15 members with 1 Silverbacks, 6 Adult females, 3 Blackbacks, 1 Sub-adult female, 3 Juveniles, 1 Infant. Most of the members of this family are from the parent group – Habiyanja family and by that time the group was under the leadership of Silverback Mwirima.
Currently Rushegura gorilla group is under the leadership of a dominant silverback Kabukojo, the name Rushegura of the group is adopted from a tree species called Ebishegura which are abundant in Buhoma area where the formation of the Habinyanja family happened.
Rushegura gorilla family is popular with tourists because it is near the Buhoma sector’s park’s headquarters and its members normally visit the local community gardens and home ranges.
Rushegura is the best group for seniors and less physically enable tourists to trek in Buhoma Sector as well as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Katwe Gorilla Family
Katwe Gorilla Family is an amazing gorilla family with 8 members including 1 Silverbacks, 2 Adult females, 2 Blackbacks, 3 Sub-adult females, this family is the latest habituated gorilla group in Buhoma sector and is under the leadership of a dominant silverback Mahaane.
The habituation process of Katwe gorilla family start in January 2018 with researchers from Uganda Wildlife Authority monitoring the group following the death of silverback Kanyonyi in November 2017.
The death of Kanyonyi disintegrated the group’s members to unknown locations, when the researchers discovered that some fully habituated members of the Mubara gorilla family for example adult females “Kasundwe” and “Malaika” joined to form Katwe group.
UWA began the habituation process of the group to maintain continuous close monitoring of the habituated individuals and their new mates in the Katwe group.
The name Katwe is adopted from the topo – name of the hill where the habituation process of this group was started in January 2018 by researchers.
Muyambi Gorilla Family
Muyambi gorilla family is one of the newest gorilla group in Buhoma sector with six (6) members who split from the Mubare family, these members split away with Silverback Muyambi.
Muyambi gorilla family was open gorilla trekking in May 2020.
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