Nyakamwe gorilla is a splinter group of the Humba gorilla family. Nyakamwe, together with his elder brother Humba, were originally members of the Rugendo mountain gorilla family. In 1998, the two brothers decided to break away from their father’s group and form their own gorilla family. This marked the beginning of a new family line within Virunga National Park.
Over the years, Nyakamwe and Humba worked together to grow their family. The group increased in size from 9 individuals to about 16 members. However, in 2014, a disagreement occurred between the two brothers. As a result, Nyakamwe separated from Humba and formed his own gorilla family. He left with 10 members. Today, the Nyakamwe mountain gorilla family has about 11 individuals. The group is made up of 2 silverbacks, 1 black back, 3 adult females, 2 juveniles, 1 sub adult female, and 2 babies.
Nyakamwe mountain gorilla family can be trekked from the Bukima sector of Virunga National Park. Gorilla trekking in this area starts early in the morning and is guided by trained park rangers. Only a small number of visitors are allowed to see one gorilla family each day to reduce disturbance and protect the gorillas.
Mountain gorillas are the largest living primates in the world and are listed as an endangered species. They live in a few protected areas in East and Central Africa. These include Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.
Mountain gorillas live in tropical and sub tropical rainforests found at high and cool elevations. They have thick and long fur, which helps them survive in cold and wet conditions. In the 19th century, mountain gorillas were close to extinction, with numbers falling to about 300 individuals. Today, their population has increased to over 1,000 due to strong conservation efforts.
One important way visitors can support mountain gorilla conservation is by buying a gorilla trekking permit. Money collected from gorilla trekking helps fund park protection, ranger salaries, and community support programs that protect these great apes for the future.
