Mountain gorillas, like other gorilla sub-species, live in families. At Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, 12 families of these large apes have undergone full habituation, and one of them is the Muhoza family. This family group has 12 mountain gorillas, including 1 silverback gorilla, 6 adult females, 2 sub-adults, and 3 infants.
At first, there were 7 mountain gorillas, but Muhoza raided the Hirwa group and took 2 of its members. This increased Muhoza’s group to 9, and with new births recorded, the number has grown to about 12 gorillas currently. This is one of the remarkable gorilla groups you should not miss visiting on a gorilla safari in Volcanoes National Park.
Muhoza family group is one of the newly identified gorilla groups in Volcanoes National Park. It was created in 2016 and is named after the silverback Muhoza. On 3rd December 2016, the group consisted of only seven individuals.
Tracking Muhoza Group
Muhoza gorilla group is open for tracking in Volcanoes National Park, which is located in Northwestern Rwanda. Unlike some other gorilla families, trekking Muhoza group is not too difficult. It often takes a short time because the group spends most of its time in the heart of Volcanoes National Park.
During the trek, you have the chance to see juveniles playing, infants cuddling with their mothers, and Muhoza providing protection and safety to his members.
Other Popular Gorilla Families in Rwanda
- Susa Gorilla Group: The Susa gorilla group, also known as Susa A family, is the oldest group in Volcanoes National Park. It is a historical gorilla family because it is where Dian Fossey began her gorilla research. Originally, 42 mountain gorillas made up the Susa A group, but their number later reduced to 17 individuals due to factors like splits and deaths.
- Sabyinyo Gorilla Group: Sabyinyo is a fully habituated group with over 16 mountain gorillas, including a silverback. This group spends most of its time around the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo.
- Kwitonda Gorilla Family: Kwitonda group originally lived in the D.R. Congo, but their leader crossed into Rwanda in 2003. The group now lives in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, where it is available for trekking by visitors on gorilla tours.
- Agashya Family: Group 13, now known as Agashya family, originally had 13 mountain gorillas, which is how it got its name. The group was first led by Nyakarima, but he was later overthrown by the silverback Agashya. About 20 mountain gorillas make up the Agashya family in Volcanoes National Park.
While on a Rwanda gorilla safari, you can also explore other families such as Hirwa, Umubano, Muhoza, Titus, Pablo, and Karisimbi/Susa B.
