Rushegura Gorilla Tracking Family

Rushegura Gorilla Tracking Family

Close to the Gorilla tracking briefing center is the starting point of Rushegura gorilla group. It is made 16 members with Mwirima as the dominant silver back.  This family roams in the Buhoma part of Bwindi.

 This group was part of the original Habinyanja gorilla family which separated after a cold disagreement between two brothers. However there was no fight.Locally the name Rushegura was derived from the place where separation of the original Habinyanja Gorilla family took place in around 2002. Mwirima who preferred little adventure took about seven members with him to start this new family. Mwirima and Rwansingazi are brothers whose father was Mukurusi. The two brothers had different interests as one was adventurous while the other preferred little rage.

After separation, the new group has to be habituated for some fewmonths because it has been originally habituated with the original habinyanja gorilla family. In 2002, the group was opened for Gorilla Tracking. Mwirima managed to build the family to about 19 members by 2010 from the initial 7 members that he started with.

 This gorilla group sometimes migrates into the Virunga area which is within Democratic Republic of Congo. On several occasions, the group has been sighted fighting with some wild families like Makare group with Mwirima fighting to the best and emerging victorious.

Names of Rushegura gorilla family members include:

• Dominant silverback: Mwirima as the
• Alpha female: Kisho
• Black back male :  Kalembezi, Kabukojo
• Adult Females :  Buzinza, Kyirinvi, Kibande, Ruterana, Nyamunwa, Karunyi
• Juveniles :  Kibande, Nyampazi, Kanywanyi, Kafuruka, Karungyi
• Infants :  Nyamunwa, Katabazi, Buzinza