Gorilla Groups

More than half of all mountain gorillas are habituated, meaning they are used to the presence of humans. While some groups are only observed by researchers, most are however visited by tourists. Thanks to the daily recordings made by the rangers we are able to closely track the comings and goings in these groups. Their sizes are constantly changing; it is not uncommon for whole families to dissolve, for groups to split, or for silverbacks to form new groups of their own.

D. R. Congo, Virunga National Park,
Mikeno Sector - tourist groups

  Feb. 2008 Apr. 2010 June 2012 Jan. 2013 Nov. 2016 Nov. 2018 Nov. 2019 Feb. 2022
Mapuwa 12 16 18 18 22 4 25 26
Kabirizi 32 36 33 37 19 19 23 24
Munyaga 5 6 7 8 9 9 9 12
Humba 9 12 16 16 10 11 13 15
Lulengo 5 8 4 9 9 11 11 11
Rugendo 5 5 7 8 9 10 11 13
Bageni         26 30 35 42
Nyakamwe         11 12 15 15
Mvuyekure           18    
Baraka             25 19
Wilungula             40 42

Solitary silverback males: Ruzirabwoba, Karateka, Mareru, Pilipili, Buhanga, Bukima, Mukunda 

Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park - tourist groups

  Feb. 2008 Dec. 2009 May 2011 Jan. 2014 July 2016 Aug. 2018 Nov. 2019 Feb. 2022
Suza A (Kurira) 38 28 30 28 17 18 23 21
Karisimbi (Suza B)   15 16 15 11 11 11 10
Amahoro 17 16 18 17 18 20 23 21
Umubano 9 11 12 11 12 13 13 14
Hirwa 12 12 16 9 19 16 17 13
Sabinyo 8 10 12 8 16 18 18 18
Gruppe 13 (Agashya) 23 22 25 25 20 23 25 22
Kwitonda 16 19 21 18 29 33 35 20
Igisha (Suza B)         26 30 30 34
Isimbi         14 18 20 16
Muhoza           11 14 17
Kwisanga               17
Ikaze               6

Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park -
research groups

  Feb. 2008 Feb. 2009 Dec. 2009 May 2011 Nov. 2012 Jan. 2014 Dec. 2016 Dec. 2017
Pablo 43 43 47 47 43 7 33 37
Shinda 26 28            
Isabukuru 5 7 10 11 11 16 19 18
Titus 10 10 6 7 9 ? 8 9
Kuryama 12 14 15 15 14 ? 8 9
Bwenge 9 11 11 11 9 11    
Inshuti   4 6 7        
Ntambara     11 11 12 17 9 15
Ugenda     12 14 9 11    
Urugamba     6 5 ?      
Musilikale           ? 13 20
Mafunzo             12 14
Giraneza             6  
Iyambere             6 7
Urugwiro               4
Kureba               9

Uganda, Bwindi - tourist groups

  Feb. 2008 Nov. 2010 May 2011 Jan. 2014 Aug. 2016 Oct. 2018 Dec. 2019 Feb. 2022
Mubare 10 5 5 9 11 5 6 9
Habinyanja 23 20 29 18 17 15 16 12
Rushegura 15 19 21 19 16 15 15 19
Nkuringo 18 19 17 19 12 14 15 12
Bitukura 15 13 14 14 13 11 11 13
Nshongi (Shongi) 28 25 22 18 7 7 8 11
Mishaya   10 12 7 ? 8 10 8
Oruzogo       23 17 17 17 10
Kahungye       13 17 22 19 25
Busingye       9 9 12 12 10
Bweza       10 12 10 11 15
Bushaho         8 11 11 10
Bikingi         15 9 14 12
Katwe           7 7 9
Kutu             11 20

Uganda, Bwindi - research group

  Feb. 2009 June 2010 May 2011 Jan. 2014 Aug. 2016 Oct. 2018 Dec. 2019 Feb. 2022
Kyagurilo 17 17 13 15 20 8 8 4
Mukiza (Kyagurilo B)           13 13 15
  Feb. 2008 June 2010 May 2011 Jan. 2014 Aug. 2016 Oct. 2018 Dec. 2019 Feb. 2022
Nyakagezi* 7 9 9 10 10 9 9 9
Hirwa** 12 12 16 9 19 16 17 13

* The group travels between Uganda, Rwanda and Congo; ** the group travels between Rwanda and Uganda at least since 2020


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Gorilla Baby Boom in Bwindi?

In 2020, many gorillas were born within the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park's gorilla population; an exceptional number of 6 gorillas within 7 weeks…

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Increased Gorilla Density May Lead to Increased Aggression

The number of mountain gorillas on the Virunga Volcanoes has increased continuously for four decades now, as was shown during the last censuses. The…

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Give Me Your Dung And I Will Tell You Who You Are

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Tribute to Kanyonyi

It is with great sadness to inform you about the loss of one of my favorite gorillas in Bwindi, Kanyonyi, the lead silverback of Mubare group. He died…

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Rukina - Life Summary

[Translate to EN:] Der Silberrückenmann Rukina, der die Kyagurilo-Gruppe in Bwindi geleitet hat, ist gestorben. (© Martha M. Robbins/MPI-EVAN)

We estimate that Rukina was born around 1984. He was well identified as a group member of the Kyagurilo Group in the late 1990s when he was a young…

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The Mikeno Gorillas 1998

Gorillas in Mgahinga National Park

Mushamuka's Story

Nindja is Dead

The Death of a Patriarch

The Mikeno Gorillas 1996

Maheshe's Tragic End