The name Pablo is linked to greatness, considering the famous individuals known by that name. A look into the past shows that this historic group is very old, existing since the 1980s. Monitored by the late Dian Fossey, this gorilla group has survived over the years. It was once set aside for research purposes but later habituated for tourism.
The group gets its name from the first silverback, Pablo. Like other famous leaders, Pablo wisely led the family for just one year. He knew when it was time to hand over leadership and gave the position to his son, Cantsbee. After stepping down, Pablo remained respected, acting as a chief elder who gave advice to the new leader on family matters.
The handover brought a time of great success. Under Cantsbee’s leadership, the family broke a record by growing to about 65 members in 2006. Cantsbee ruled for over 20 years, making his time as leader the longest and most successful.
Pablo is remembered as authoritative, gentle, strong, and full of wonderful qualities. History claims he was one of the best-known silverbacks ever tracked in the Volcanoes. However, as the saying goes, some days you win, some days you lose. In 2013, the large family experienced a split when the Musilikale group broke away. Cantsbee’s reign ended in 2017 with his death. His 23-year-old son, Gicurasi, then took over as the new leader, and he continues to lead today.
Membership of the Family
Since its beginning, this gorilla group has had only three dominant silverbacks. Pablo was the first, leading for just one year before passing leadership to his son, Cantsbee, whose record-breaking reign saw the family grow to 65 members. After Cantsbee’s death, Gicurasi became the new leader.
The second in command is Gicurasi’s 16-year-old brother, Dushishize. He was trusted with the important role of protecting the family. He has little access to the female gorillas, usually staying at the back of the group and spending much of his time on the edges.
The third in command is Ubwuzu, a 14-year-old grandson of Cantsbee. Because of his closeness to the dominant silverback, he has better access to females and often shows off, being a less shy gorilla.
The fourth in rank is Agahebuzo, a 13-year-old son of Cantsbee. Like many young adolescents, he once tried to challenge Ubwuzu but calmed down after being defeated.
The Musilikale group split from Pablo’s family and camped just 100 meters away from their original home. Interestingly, the two groups live close to each other without any fights.
These four leaders help raise the young gorillas, preparing them to become responsible future leaders. The Pablo family is one of the largest gorilla groups, with many infants, young females, four silverbacks, and several blackbacks. This makes Volcanoes National Park the second most visited place for gorilla trekking after Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Cost of Tracking the Pablo Family
Trekking to see these magnificent apes is challenging but brings great joy when visitors finally meet the gorillas. Hikers must push through tough terrain with fallen tree branches, thick bushes, and sharp shrubs. These experiences are unforgettable because the gorillas often live high up in the mountains and hide because they are generally shy animals.
Tracking the Pablo family is considered one of the most difficult treks because they live on Mount Karisimbi, which is the most challenging mountain. Therefore, the $1500 gorilla permit is seen as a worthwhile cost. Hikers may spend six or more hours trekking through hard terrain. It is advised to pay an extra $10 to $15 for a porter to help carry luggage and make the hike easier.
