The Mubare family is the oldest habituated gorilla group in Uganda. Habituation began in 1991, and the group received its first visitors in 1993. The family was named after the Mubare Hills in Bwindi, where rangers first saw them.
At the time of habituation, the Mubare family had 18 members. Over the years, the number reduced to 5 because of deaths, including a baby in 2009, and members joining other groups. Numbers in gorilla families change often due to births, deaths, or members moving.
The group faced hard times when several members died or left. Ruhondeza, the dominant silverback, was attacked by a wild gorilla group in 2012. He was defeated and took refuge in a nearby community forest, where he later died in his sleep in 2013.
Ruhondeza had no successor because he was believed to practice infanticide, killing young males to stop them from taking over. He was given a decent burial near the park headquarters, and rangers can show visitors his grave when trekking the Mubare family.
After his death, silverback Kanyonyi took over leadership and increased the group from 5 to 9 members. Today, Mubare is one of the easiest gorilla families to trek in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi National Park.
Trekking the Mubare Gorilla Group
A maximum of 8 healthy tourists without infectious diseases such as flu or cough can visit the Mubare family each day. Treks begin early in the morning and can take 30 minutes to 5 hours. Once found, visitors are given one hour to observe and take photos.
The Mubare family can be visited all year round, but the best time is during the dry months of June to August and December to February, when trails are easier to hike.
Trekkers should be prepared for rainforest conditions. Essentials include hiking boots, garden gloves, insect repellent, warm clothes, plenty of drinking water, and energy snacks.
Mountain gorillas are an endangered species of primates that live in the tropical rainforests of East and Central Africa. They are a subspecies of Eastern gorillas, with another subspecies found in Congo.
Mountain gorillas are the world’s largest living apes, sharing about 98 percent of their DNA with humans. Each gorilla has a unique nose print, just like human fingerprints. They spend most of their day searching for food in the forest.
Their diet is made up of bamboo shoots, leaves, fruits, bark, stems, and roots. They also eat ants, insects, and termites. Gorillas begin feeding early in the morning around 6 am until midday when they rest, then continue in the afternoon until about 7 pm when they build nests to sleep in.
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