Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage is the only gorilla orphanage of its kind in the world. It is located in Rumangabo, inside Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The orphanage was named after Senkwekwe, a famous silverback gorilla who was leading his family when they were attacked by rebel forces in 2007. During this tragic incident, several gorillas were killed, including Senkwekwe.
The Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage began with two orphaned mountain gorillas named Ndeze and Ndakasi. These gorillas were victims of war and could not return to the wild. They were first kept in a compound in Goma, far from their natural forest home. In 2010, a decision was made to create a safe and permanent place for orphaned gorillas. This led to the official establishment of the Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage.
At the orphanage, each mountain gorilla is assigned a full time caretaker. Visitors can watch as caretakers interact with the gorillas throughout the day. Infant gorillas that are rescued are first fed on milk before slowly changing to a normal gorilla diet as they grow. Visitors are allowed to make donations or sponsor a gorilla to support conservation efforts at the orphanage.
The environment at Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage closely matches the natural forest habitat of mountain gorillas. The orphaned gorillas live at the center for their entire lives. They are not returned to the wild because they would struggle to survive or integrate with wild gorilla families.
Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage also helps in the rehabilitation of eastern lowland gorillas that are rescued from illegal wildlife traffickers and poachers. These gorillas are treated and monitored before being transferred to a special Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center for orphaned lowland gorillas.
The conservation work at Senkwekwe is supported by gorilla conservation organizations, individual donors, and visitors. Guests staying at Mikeno Lodge, which is near the orphanage, can visit the center for free. Visitors staying at other lodges are required to pay a visit fee.
In addition to visiting Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage, visitors can also take part in mountain gorilla trekking. Virunga National Park has eight habituated mountain gorilla families. Gorilla trekking allows visitors to see these close human relatives in their natural forest environment.
