Lowland Gorilla Families In Kahuzi Biega National Park: The park is a big protected area found in Eastern parts of South Kivu Province in DR Congo. The park is positioned near the western bank of Kivu Lake, west of Bakavu town and Rwanda Border. Kahuzi Biega National Park is among the list of UNESCO world heritage site that covers an area of 6,000sq Km and it comprises of lowland terrain and mountains. The different parts of Kahuzi Biega National Park consist of various physical features and terrain.

Small part of the park goes through Mitumba Mountain range in the Albertine rift valley in a corridor of almost 7.4 km wide. The corridor connects lowland and mountainous terrain and the eastern region of the park is 600sqkm and consists of mountainous terrain while the remaining part of the park is conquered by lowland terrain and is drained by Lungulu and Luka rivers that flow into Lualaba River.

Kahuzi Biega National Park was named after 2 dormant volcanoes which are standing at Kahuzi at the height of 3,308m and Biega is standing at a height of 2,790m.

Kahuzi Biega National Park inhabits various wildlife species and some of these species include eastern lowland gorillas which have 4 sub species of gorillas. There is almost 5,000 eastern lowland gorilla individuals in the world according to the reports from the 2004 research. Eastern lowland gorillas are among the largest living primates with a male eastern lowland gorilla standing at a maximum height of 1.85 meters and females height reaching 1.6metres. Females weighs 100 kg while a male weighs 210kgs.

Eastern lowland gorillas are also social primates that like living in groups of around 2-30 individuals. Each family group has a leader of dominant silverback and is made up of many females and the infants which are known to be their off springs. Silverbacks are the alpha males of the groups and emerge as the strongest gorilla group which have a task to protect their group from any danger.

In order to avoid disputes caused by competition over the head of the group, young silverbacks are asked to leave their natal group and go to form their own groups and this is when they have reached at a mature level of forming their own groups.

In reproduction, female eastern lowland gorillas give birth to 1 infant every birth and this happens after a gestation period of 8 and half month. Birth of twins in these gorillas is rare and in case of one it is highly welcome and celebrated by the group.

Kahuzi Biega National Park inhabits almost 9 families of the eastern lowland gorillas but only 5 went under habituation processes. Gorilla habituation process is a process where mountain gorillas undergo a training for them to be used to human presence. These 5 families are the only families that are trekked in Kahuzi Biega national park and they include the following;

Mpungwe gorilla family                

Mpungwe gorilla family is found in Kahuzi Biega National Park and it is the largest gorilla family among the habituated families in the Park of DRC. This is the most loved gorilla family and it is commonly trekked by the trekkers who love seeing lowland gorillas in large numbers. Mpungwe gorilla family is made up of 21 family members.

Chimanuka gorilla family                                                          

Chimanuka gorilla family is also found in Kahuzi Biega national park and is said to be the 2rd largest lowland gorilla family in the DRC. From testimonies testified by trekkers of the family, they say it is an interesting experience to trek this family and it is contributed to its charming members. Chimanuka gorilla family involves 19 family members and are under the leadership of a dominant silverback chimanuka thus the originality of the family name.

Mugahuka gorilla family

Mugahuka gorilla family is also found in Kahuzi Biega national park and it has 1 family member with 1 dominant silverback called Mugahuka and it was named after this dominant silverback. Mugahuka gorilla family comprised of both members but due to disputes between Chimanuka and Mugahuka gorilla family, it ended up losing its family members. Chimanuka gorilla family won the dispute hence females and infants were lost resulting Mugahuka dominant silverback remaining alone in the family group.

Mugahuka gorilla family is recommended for less and old energetic trekkers since it is the closest family to find in Kahuzi Biega national park

Nganwa gorilla family

Nganwa gorilla family is also located in Kahuzi Biega national park and it is undergoing habituation process and it is not yet open for gorilla trekking. The family is made up of 10 family members.

Bonnani gorilla family

Bonnani gorilla family is located in Kahuzi Biega national park and is the smallest lowland gorilla family in the park and DRC. Bonnani gorilla family includes 5 gorilla members and it is among the newly habituated gorilla families in the park.

How to get to Kahuzi Biega national park.

Kahuzi Biega national park is found in the eastern parts of DRC near the western bank of Kivu Lake, west of Bakavu town and Rwanda Border. It is 30 km from Bukavu town and it will take you almost 1 and half hours to drive and reach the park. Kahuzi Biega National Park is easily accessed national park and can be accessed by both air and road means of transport. The roads are under good conditions and allow free movement of vehicles to the park. Chartered flights are organized for those who want to use air transport and they land at Miti and Kavuma airport. You will use a vehicle from these airports to reach the park premises.