The Mishaya family can be visited in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It is named after Mishaya, an ambitious silverback who broke away from the Nshongi family in May 2011 to form his own group.
Mishaya left with seven members but kept fighting other groups to capture females, and the family grew to 12 members. Sadly, Mishaya died in 2014 at the age of 28. Leadership then passed to silverback Mwine. It is believed Mishaya died from injuries he suffered in several fights with other gorillas, since he had no record of illness. During one of the fights, Mishaya and an infant were badly injured.
Trekking the Mishaya Gorilla Group
Tourists who want to trek the Mishaya family must book permits and accommodation in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi. Treks begin early in the morning after a briefing. The walk may take from 30 minutes to 7 hours, depending on the gorillas’ movements and the trekkers’ pace. Only eight healthy visitors are allowed to see the family each day.
Gorilla habituation is also done in the Rushaga sector, the same area where the Mishaya family is found. Unlike trekking, which allows eight people, only four people can join habituation. Visitors spend 4 hours with the gorillas, compared to 1 hour during trekking.
A gorilla permit costs $800 per person, while a habituation permit costs $1,500 per person. Permits should be booked at least 3 months in advance due to high demand.
Mountain gorilla families live in social groups made up of one silverback, several females, juveniles, and infants. The silverback is the leader and is responsible for protecting and guiding the group. Silverbacks defend their families rather than territories.
For reasons not clearly known, gorillas fear chameleons and caterpillars. Baby gorillas that play with crawling insects usually avoid these two creatures. Silverbacks protect their young from any danger, and mothers also defend their babies, even at the risk of losing their own lives.
Gorillas are intelligent animals. They have been seen using tools, such as sticks to pull termites from holes, measuring the depth of rivers with sticks, and using logs to cross water.
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