HISTORY, UNIQUENESS AND MEMBERS OF RUSHEGURA GORILLA FAMILY.
Rushegura gorilla group is one of the most popular bigger gorilla groups in Bwindi and Uganda with 21 gorilla individuals. The group was first habituated in 2000 and by 2002, the family was open and ready for gorilla trekking activities.
It was in 2002 that Rushegura gorilla family received its first visitors. Rushegura gorilla family has always been known to cross over from Uganda to the Democratic Republic of Congo but is now permanently settled and can be tracked in only Bwindi Forest impenetrable national park.
The gorilla family derives its name “Rushegura” from the spot in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park where the two silverbacks fought, Mwirima (Silverback of Rushegura) was split from the Habinyanja gorilla family to form his own family.
The gorilla individuals in the Rushegura gorilla family include six infants, six juveniles, blackback, five adult female gorilla individuals and one dominant male Silverback. Some of the names of the gorilla individuals in Rushegura gorilla family include Katabazi, Kafuruka, Karungyi, Ruterena, Nyamunwa, Kabande, Kalembezi, Kyibande, Buzinza, to mention but a few.
Tracking Rushegura family is not challenging at all, perfect for less fit trekkers and visitors short on time who prefer shorter treks as most of its individuals normally camp at the headquarters of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. However, their location is not a hundred per cent guaranteed, Rushegura family just like any other family tends to move into the deeper dense forests of Bwindi in search of enough food.
Rushegura family sometimes roams around the nearby accommodation lodges and its members normally don’t shy away from people so visitors enjoying their stay at these relaxing spots should anticipate to have attractive views of the endangered mountain gorillas as sometimes they appear unexpectedly.
ABOUT MWIRIMA, THE RUSHEGURA GIANT SILVERBACK.
Mwirima, the dominant Alpha silverback who formed the group off Habinyanja died in 2004 but his legacy stands as a dominant defending and fighting male silverback. The separation of Mwirima from his former family took place in 2002 and Mwirima walked away with about seven gorilla members and later expanded to 12 gorilla individuals with the addition of five more female gorillas.
Mwirima’s family saw success and later his family stabilized to about 19 gorilla individuals by 2010. “Ebishegura are the trees located at the place where Mwirima split from his former Habinyanja family.
ABOUT BUHOMA GORILLA SECTOR.
Buhoma gorilla sector is the most popular gorilla sector amongst the four gorilla sectors in the vast Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, the biggest and most popular gorilla trekking destination in Africa. Situated in the northern part of Bwindi Forest impenetrable national park, the Buhoma sector is the most visited gorilla sector in Bwindi. Buhoma sector carries pride as the first place where gorilla trekking activities started.
It was in 1993 when the first group of tourists first carried out gorilla trekking in this region and since then there has been nothing but progress as far as the tourism sector is concerned. The region shelters the oldest habituated gorilla family famously known as Mubare family.
Initially, this oldest group of Mubare family had quite a number of gorilla individuals until the death of their leader Ruhondeza who succumbed to death as a result of deteriorating age and could not support his family anymore. The death of Ruhondeza saw the group weakening and thus losing some members totaling to four gorilla individuals only.
It has been because of the tremendous role played by the new silverback that has seen an increase in number, from four to about nine gorilla individuals currently with high hopes of the group expanding. Other gorilla families in Buhoma gorilla sector include Habinyanja, Rushegura, Muyambi and Katwe. Visitors who visit Buhoma gorilla sector have an opportunity to track and locate these five habituated gorilla families.
All gorilla trekking activities in Buhoma region sector start at around 7:30 am at the park’s headquarters. This is where park rangers and tour guides briefly guide the trekkers on the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. It is at this juncture that trekkers are divided into groups of eight and each group is assigned and allocated to track and locate one particular gorilla family.
Right when the gorillas are located trekkers are to keep a certain distance to avoid easy transmission of diseases like cold and flu and strictly limited to only one full hour.
