Eastern Lowland Gorilla Families in Kahuzi Biega National Park
Eastern lowland gorilla families in Kahuzi Biega National Park are about 9 in number, with only 5 of them being habituated for travellers to visit on a gorilla trekking safari in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Kahuzi Biega National Park is one of the few protected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo that inhabit the eastern lowland gorillas that are a subspecies of gorillas. Eastern lowland gorillas are a very social animal species that spend most of their life in small groups commonly referred to as gorilla groups or gorilla families. Typical eastern lowland gorilla families in Kahuzi Biega National Park consist of 2-30 or more gorilla individuals including a dominant silverback, several females, infants and juveniles.
These gorilla families are led by a mature silverback, who is in charge of the family’s protection from any form of danger that they actually fight to death if need be, as well the one in charge of all activities that the group can do say where to feed from, where to spend the night, among others. A male eastern lowland gorilla weighs about 210 kilograms while a female eastern lowland gorilla weighs about 100 kilograms. Female eastern lowland gorillas have a gestation period of 8.5 months and give birth usually to 1 infant; twin births are a very rare occurrence and it is all excitement if it does happen. Adult male eastern lowland gorillas that become silverback most a times leave the gorilla family to form their own.
With the 9 eastern lowland gorilla families in Kahuzi Biega National Park, only 5 of them are habituated. Gorilla habituation refers to a process through which the gorillas are trained so that they get accustomed to human presence. It is only the habituated eastern lowland gorilla families in Kahuzi Biega National Park that travellers get to visit on a gorilla trekking adventure in the park. The eastern lowland gorilla families in Kahuzi Biega National Park that travellers can visit include;
Mpungwe gorilla family
Mpungwe gorilla family is the largest habituated eastern lowland gorilla family in Kahuzi Biega National Park, with 21 gorilla individuals. Mpungwe gorilla family is one of the most loved and sought after gorilla family in the park by eastern lowland gorilla trekkers.
Chimanuka gorilla family
Chimanuka gorilla family is the second-largest habituated gorilla family in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Chimanuka gorilla family consists of 19 gorilla individuals with Chimanuka as the dominant silverback from which the family got to be named. According to a number of travellers who have had the rare opportunity to enjoy eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park, Chimanuka gorilla family is considered the most interesting group for the gorilla individuals are so much fun.
Mugahuka gorilla family
Mugahuka gorilla family is a 1 member family with just the silverback Mugahuka, who broke off from Chimanuka gorilla family after a dispute with the group’s current dominant Chimanuka who won and thus remained with the rest of the members. Mugahuka left the family to form his own. Mugahuka gorilla family is one of the closest eastern lowland gorilla families in Kahuzi Biega National Park, making it easy to find and thus recommended to those gorilla trekkers who would rather have a short trek.
Bonnani gorilla family
Bonnani gorilla family is one of the recently added habituated gorilla family that travellers can trek while on an eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Bonnani gorilla family consists of only 5 gorilla individuals, making it one of the smallest eastern lowland gorilla families in Kahuzi Biega National Park.
Nganwe Gorilla family
Nganwe gorilla family is an eastern lowland gorilla family that consists of 10 individuals in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Nganwe gorilla family is not yet available for eastern lowland gorilla trekking since it is still under habituation.
Eastern lowland gorilla trekking is only possible in Kahuzi Biega National Park, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park is just near Lake Kivu, only about 30km from Bukavu town. Kahuzi Biega National Park can be visited as the main destination, though most travellers do combine it with Virunga National Park where travellers get to encounter mountain gorillas on a gorilla trekking adventure, chimpanzees in a chimpanzee habituation experience, as well as hiking Mount Nyiragongo to gaze at the world’s largest lava lake, before proceeding for eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Encountering eastern lowland gorilla families in Kahuzi Biega National Park is a highly recommended activity, get in touch for help with planning one of the most memorable encounters.
