Like other gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park, the Kwisanga gorilla family is one of the 15 gorilla groups in this park. It is one of the new gorilla families in the park after being formed on 4th May 2021. It was formed after a split of the Kwitonda family gorilla that saw Kigoma, the former leader, walk away with some members after the Akarevuro had taken leadership of the Kwitonda group. Kigoma formed the Kwisanga gorilla family but down the road lost its leadership to Lisanga, another silverback. Kigoma did not leave the group until 31st December 2023 after a peaceful split. Before his leaving, Kigoma was living under a sub-group inside the Kwisanga gorilla group as he still wanted to lead the family but was unable to with the presence of Lisanga. The Kwisanga gorilla family consists of 10 members including a silverback, 4 adult females, a blackback, 2 sub-adult males, and 2 infants.
Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills, is famous not only for having the cleanest city of Kigali in the whole of Africa but also for being a significant tourist destination. The country hosts some of the best and rare tourist attractions that see thousands and millions of tourists flock to the country every year. With the many years of political turmoil and civil war that had crippled the country, Rwanda has stood the test of time to emerge as one of the most peaceful countries and fast developing nations in the world. The tourism sector, for a fact, has been the number one sector that has helped raise a huge percentage of the country’s revenue for sustainable development. It is on this account that Volcanoes National Park emerges head held up high as the most popular national park in the country and one of the best tourist destinations in the world.
Volcanoes National Park is located in the northwestern part of the country close to the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is part of the Virunga conservation area that is famous for hosting the remaining population of the endangered mountain gorillas. Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park of Uganda are also part of this conservational area. Volcanoes National Park being part of this area harbors over 380 mountain gorilla individuals. The park was established in 1925 during the colonial days and is the oldest national park in the country and one of the very first parks in Africa. Volcanoes National Park has a large area of approximately 160 square kilometers. The park is also famous for housing five of the eight dormant volcanoes of the Virunga massif and it is where it derives the name Volcanoes National Park.
By the time of its establishment, Volcanoes National Park was harboring mountain gorillas, hence the sole factor for its gazetting was to protect these primates. It is on this account that the name Dian Fossey comes into play as she was the best protector of these primates through her campaigns. Dr. Dian Fossey was a primatologist and conservationist who, after working for some good years in the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo for similar causes, left for Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda to continue her work after a civil war had broken out in the latter country. She established her base near Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke inside the Volcanoes National Park and named it Karisoke Research Center. This marked the beginning of her legacy and work of conservation of endangered mountain gorillas and raising awareness to fight poaching. Her works were not in vain as she attracted a lot of international support through funding and popularizing her cause, making her an icon of conservation of the mountain gorillas. Unfortunately, her works were tragically cut short on the 31st of December 1985 when she was killed.
Mountain gorillas are the most sought after tourist attractions in Rwanda. They can only be encountered on a gorilla trekking adventure experience in their natural environment. They live on the steep slopes of the mountains in the Volcanoes National Park. Mountain gorillas are the largest among all the primates. Just like other primates, they live in groups known as gorilla families because they are social animals. Each gorilla family is headed by a male called a silverback. These large male gorillas have silver-like fur on their low backs hence their name.
Some of the other gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park include the following.
Isimbi gorilla family
On the 10th of April 2012, the Isimbi gorilla family was birthed after a split of the Karisimbi gorilla group as the silverback Getty led his members to a new family, Isimbi. Unfortunately, he did not live long after to enjoy his new family as he tragically died on the 22nd of December 2013 from an abscess air sac. Because he was the dominant and only silverback in the group, there was a vacuum of leadership to be filled. The oldest blackback Muturengere seized the opportunity and took over the family leadership with the assistance of the oldest matriarch Poppy. Together they defended the family from intruders and grew the family from 7 members by the time of their former leader’s death to 22 members.
Muhoza gorilla family
The Muhoza gorilla family is one of the largest gorilla families in the Volcanoes National Park with over 22 members. It was formed on the 3rd of December 2016 and is under the dominant leadership of Marambo the Silverback. He is a warmonger, often storming other families by surprise and stealing their members and adding them to his. A recent addition came in March 2020 when he stole two adult females from the Hirwa and Agashya groups.
