Gorilla Journal 35, December 2007

The History of the Rugendo Family between 1997 and 2007

1997. Led by a silverback of the same name, the Rugendo group consists of 18 animals, including 2 silverbacks, one blackback, 8 adult females, 1 subadult and 6 infants.
1998. After an interaction with Ru-gendo's son Humba, the Rugendo group splits into two. Eight animals (1 blackback, 4 adult females, and 3 infants) stay with Rugendo, while the other group members join Humba.
In 1999, the blackback of the group, called Senkwekwe, becomes a silverback. The size of the group increases to 10 when the adult female Safi gives birth to Katembo on December 1st, 1999 and to 11 when Neza gives birth to Bahati on December 6th of the same year.
During the whole of 2000, the group size stays at 11 individuals.
In 2001, Rugendo is killed during a confrontation between regular army troops of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and insurgents. The group now has 10 members.
In January 2002, Safi disappears, together with her infant son Katembo. The emigration of the adult female Kidole after an interaction with the Mapuwa group on August 6th leaves the group with 7 members.
2003. Infant Bahati of the female Neza is stoned to death in a maize field by residents of Bikenge on January 21st. Adult female Safari gives birth to Bavukahe on December 6th. Three weeks later, Neza gives birth again, increasing group size to 6 individuals.
2004. Group size is decreased by subadult Bilali emigrating after an interaction with Munyaga on October 26th.
During the course of 2005, several members move in and out of the group after numerous interactions with other gorilla groups. On April 10th, the juvenile Matembera immigrates into the group after an interaction with Humba. On May 30th, the subadult female Mburanumwe immigrates into the group, again after an interaction with the Humba group. During this interaction, the juvenile Matembera is re-integrated into the Humba family. On July 9th, another interaction with the Kabirizi group takes place and the female Macibiri immigrates into the Rugendo group. Just one month after this interaction, on August 9th, the immigration of the subadult Mukunda follows yet another interaction between the Rugendo and the Humba groups, increasing the size of the Rugendo group to 10 members.
2006. On January 26th, the adult female Macibiri gives birth to Ntaribi, increasing group size to 11.
On February 26th, 2007, Safari gives birth to infant Ndeze. Up until July, the group numbers 12 members. On July 22nd, 2007, 6 gorillas are massacred: the 2 adult females Neza and Safari, one subadult female, Mburanumwe, the silverback Senkwekwe and Macibiri with her infant Ntaribi. At 5 months of age, infant Ndeze was too young to survive on her own after she lost her mother Safari during the massacre. The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) therefore took her in to care for her.
Now led by the blackback Mukunda, the Rugendo group currently numbers only 5 members.

Augustin K. Basabose, IGCP, with information from Innocent Mburanumwe, ICCN

Dr. Augustin Kanyunyi Basabose has worked in the conservation of great apes in Central Africa for more than 10 years. He joined the IGCP in 2006 where he is the Conservation Science Officer leading the Ranger-based Monitoring Program, and also acting as the Country Representative in Congo.
Innocent Mburanumwe is the supervisor of the IGCP's Ranger Based Monitoring program, working as a ranger for ICCN.

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