Mountain gorilla Families in Volcanoes National park: The park is found in Rwanda and it is home to several primates including the famous Mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, blue and white colobus monkeys, and others. The park is known for its gorilla trekking safaris as it harbors more than half of the gorillas found in the Virunga Conservation Area. The other mountain gorillas are found in Mgahinga Gorilla National park in Uganda and Virunga National park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The biggest population of mountain gorillas is found in Bwindi Impenetrable National park in Uganda.

There are several gorilla families found in Volcanoes National Park and these include;  

Sabinyo gorilla family

Sabinyo gorilla family is made of thirteen eight members which are led by Guhonda dominant silverback with over 210 kilograms. Currently, Guhonda is the hugest silverback in Rwanda. This gorilla family resides in Sabinyo volcano and this is where the group derived its name from. The dominant silverback guides the family group and promotes unity in the family. The word Sabinyo is translated as old man’s teeth in Rwanda. Visitors can as well hike Sabinyo and Mt Gahinga since the groups find homage in these slopes.

Umubano gorilla family

This group of gorilla families was part of the Amahoro gorilla family until the leader Charles decided to part ways with Umubwe who were the two male bucks staying with Amahoro. The gorilla family now has thirteen members with 2 dominant male silverbacks. The Umubano name means staying or living together.

Amahoro gorilla family

Amahoro gorilla family features 18 members with two silverbacks. Amahoro is a Kinyarwanda word which means peaceful or calm. The peace full of this group could partly explain why Ubumwe the dominant silverback lost some of its members to Ubumano who formed another group called the Ubumano gorilla family. Visitors need to be a bit physically fit to trek this family since you will need to hike Mt Bisoke to see this gorilla family. It is regarded as one of the most peaceful gorilla families in Rwanda.

Hirwa Gorilla family

Hirwa gorilla family was formed by some individual members breaking away from Sabinyo and Agashyas gorilla families. It was formed in 2006 and at present, the Hirwa gorilla family presents 16 members with one dominant silverback. Hirwa means luck one and indeed its luck was justified when the gorilla family receives twins. Visitors will need to trek up to the foothills of mount Sabinyo if they are to see the Hirwa gorilla family because it is where it is located.

Bwenge gorilla family

The Bwenge gorilla family in Rwanda was established in 2007. It was formed by Bwenge from the Natal group who was later joined by other gorilla members from other families. Because of his ability to form a new gorilla group, the group was named after his name Bwenge which means wisdom. The Bwenge gorilla group finds its home in Karisoke mountain slopes amidst Bisoke and Karisimbi mountains. The Bwenge groups lost its 6 members but it has gained strength with eleven members now with 1 dominant silverback. It is very interesting to track this gorilla family and you can come and have good memories with this wise gorilla family in Rwanda.

The Ugenda gorilla family

This gorilla family in Rwanda occupies the areas of Karisimbi Mountains however it keeps moving from one place to another and because of this character, the gorilla family was named Ugenda which means on move or mobile. The Ugenda gorilla family is living with eleven members and its 2 dominant silverbacks. Visitors will also need to wonder for some good distance to see this gorilla family because of its habit of moving for some long distance. 

Agashya gorilla family (group-13)

Agashya gorilla family is also known as group 13 and it is led by Agashya as a silverback. It is believed that there were heavy fights between Agashya and Nyakarima which saw Agashya taking away the whole family. The group is composed of twenty-seven members with one dominant silverback and it occupies the same area as Sabinyo and it tends to move deeper into the mountain/jungle once it senses insecurity or danger.

Karisimbi Gorilla Family

Karisimbi Gorilla Family resides on the slopes of mountain Karisimbi Volcano. It was named Susa B because it broke away from Susa A in 2008 and it features sixteen individual gorillas and two silverbacks. This is one of the gorilla families that is difficult to track as it moves for long distances and sometimes when noticed that it has moved for long-distance then that trekking can be canceled anytime. You need to be well and physically fit to trek this gorilla family and you will be rewarded with magnificence sceneries of Mount Karismbi upon usefully trekking this mountain gorilla family.

Susa Gorilla Family (Susa A)

Susa gorilla family was popularized by Dian Fossey during her mountain gorilla research activities and as such, it is regarded as one of the best gorilla families in Rwanda that you don’t need to miss out on. Susa Gorilla Family features Twins which are known for its player full skills and the group was named after a river that passes through the gorilla family territory. The group currently presents 33 members including 2 silverbacks and can be found in the jungle on the lower slopes of Mt. Karisimbi. Susa gorilla family gave birth to Karisimbi gorilla family well known as Susa B.

Titus gorilla

Titus is also one of the famous gorilla families in Volcanoes and was named after silverback Titus which existed during the time of Dian Fossey research activities at Karisoke where there is Karisoke research center. Because of poachers Titus y lost some of its members including all his neighbors’ family members and was raised by unconnected male gorillas. Dian Fossey described Titus as an infant who was “underdeveloped and spindly” and had trouble breathing, but Titus overwhelmed these difficulties.