The Busingye family was formed in March 2012 when silverback Busingye left the Kahungye family, which had been habituated in 2008. The split was expected because the family had three silverbacks. The group is named after Busingye, the dominant silverback. In the local language, Busingye means “peace,” although this silverback is known for being ambitious and aggressive, often fighting other groups to take females.
The Busingye family has 9 members, including 1 silverback, 5 adult females, and 3 infants. This family is one of the hardest to trek because the silverback often leads them deep into the mountains to avoid intruders.
Trekking the Busingye Gorilla Group
Treks to the Busingye family begin in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters. The trek can take 30 minutes to several hours depending on the gorillas’ location. Once found, visitors are allowed one hour to observe and take photos.
Only 8 healthy visitors without infectious diseases such as flu or cough are allowed to trek each day. Children under 15 years are not allowed. A trekking permit costs $800 per person.
The Busingye family lives in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi, where habituation takes place. Gorilla habituation is the process of helping gorillas get used to human presence. It usually takes 2-3 years before a family is ready for trekking.
Tourists can join rangers and researchers in this daily work. Habituation allows 4 hours with the gorillas, compared to the 1 hour allowed during trekking. Only 4 people are allowed per day for habituation, while trekking allows 8. This makes habituation a more exclusive experience.
The endangered mountain gorillas live on the slopes of the Virunga Mountains in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in Congo, and in Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Mountain gorillas are the world’s largest apes and close relatives of humans, sharing about 98 percent of human DNA. Their day starts with foraging at around 6 am. They rest at midday before feeding again until evening. At about 7 pm, they build new nests for the night, even if the nest from the previous day is still nearby.
The main threats to mountain gorillas are poaching and habitat loss. They also have a very low birth rate. Females are fertile for only 1–2 days each month. Once pregnant, the gestation period lasts about eight and a half months, and in a lifetime, a female may have only 4-6 young ones.
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