A Special Gorilla Family
The group was so named by the UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority) Rangers because they were found in the Mubare hills, deep in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The official habituation (effectively getting used to human presence) of this gorilla group started on the 15th of October 1991 and lasted for two years. They received their first official (and paying) visitors on the 13th of October 1993.
Like all families, their fortunes fluctuate over time. At the start of the habituation process, this family group had 12 members. Their numbers peaked at over 18 and they are currently at a lowly 5 members. The group was led almost immediately by the powerful alpha male, silverback gorilla named Ruhondeza. In the local Rukiga dialect, Ruhondeza means "sleepy fellow" and was meant to signify his attitude to life. He was powerful and fought many violent encounters with other wild gorillas. The family lost members due to these attacks as well as through internal confrontations with lesser males challenging his authority. This "sleepy attitude" indicated a lack of consistent supervision of the group which resulted in fragmentation of the family and hence the lowly numbers of today.
In March 2012, the family group was attacked by an unhabituated silverback male. Time had caught up with Ruhondeza and he was too old to fight back and protect his family. He was consequently forced out of his family group and then lived a solitary existence until his death three months later on the 27th June 2012 in Rubona village. He was buried at Buhoma Bwindi Park headquarters by the UWA rangers. A monument is planned for his grave. He was almost 50 years old.
The present group (Gorilla Family) of five is led by the leading silverback Kanyonyi, one of Ruhondeza's sons. Kanyonyi was so named after his place of birth, a neighbouring hill. Kanyonyi means a bird in the local dialect.
The legacy of this group is vast. Gorilla tourism has become an international conservation success story. Mountain gorillas have shown a significant increase in their population. There are today 11 gorilla families in Uganda and 10 in Rwanda which has been habituated and is available for trekking. Several social and scientific discoveries have been made along the way. It was previously thought for example that gorillas only fed on the pith of the banana plant. By observing the Mubare group, it was observed recently that they removed the peels and ate the fruit before it was ripe.
Gorilla trekking is a strictly controlled activity. You are only allowed to approach them from a certain distance and can only stay for one hour. The cost of this activity is not cheap. A one day permit costs $600 per person but this restricts numbers whilst adding much-needed funds to provide security for these animals as well as the maintenance of the national park infrastructure.
So twenty years on, we raise our glasses and say cheers to the Mubare family for allowing us humans to watch one of the greatest sights in the animal kingdom.
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A Special Gorilla Family
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Map of Lodges in and around Uganda
Lodges And Camps In Uganda
Trackers Safari Lodge
Trackers Safari Lodge brings thatched log chalets with fireplaces to the Buhoma sector, a short drive from the park headquarters where northern gorilla treks are briefed. After the trek there is a pool, a sauna and a forest-facing restaurant to come back to.
Engagi Lodge
On the forest edge beside Buhoma village, Engagi Lodge is a simple, rustic Bwindi base for gorilla treks in the northern sector. En-suite cottages with verandas sit among the trees, and the thatched main lodge, built from local stone and eucalyptus, opens onto the forest.
Buhoma Lodge
Inside the park in the Buhoma sector, Buhoma Lodge is a short walk from where the northern gorilla treks begin. Cottages with private verandas look over the forest canopy, and solar power and gravity-fed water keep this Bwindi lodge's footprint light.
Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
High on Nteko Ridge in the Nkuringo sector, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge looks across to the Virunga volcanoes. Stone cottages have fireplaces and private verandas, butlers look after each one, and the lodge was built with the Nkuringo community, who share in it.
Mahogany Springs Lodge
Mahogany Springs Lodge sits above the Munyanga River in the Buhoma sector, close to where northern gorilla treks set off. Suites open onto private terraces facing the forest, a two-bedroom family suite suits groups, and there is a spa for after the trek.
Gorilla Safari Lodge
Gorilla Safari Lodge stands on the forest boundary in the Rushaga sector of southern Bwindi, close to where Rushaga treks are briefed. Its wooden chalets each have a fireplace for cold forest nights, with solar power and hot showers waiting after the trek.
Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Set on Nteko Ridge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge looks across the Kashasha valley to Nkuringo hill and the Virunga volcanoes. It began as a campsite and sits a short walk from the Nkuringo visitor centre, with stone cottages and a family villa facing the view.
Gorilla Valley Lodge
Near the Rushaga ranger station, Gorilla Valley Lodge steps down a steep slope on Bwindi's southern edge, so the forest is right below the rooms. Each has a private terrace, and the restaurant and bar sit at the top of the hill above the valley.