BIKYINGI

BIKYINGI

Gorilla Family

BIKYINGI

12 Members: Last updated 31/01/2024


Bikyingi group is found in Rushaga tourism sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The group is currently led by Silverback Kaharata who assumed leadership after killing the then dominant Silverback Bikyingi from whom the group name was derived. Bikyingi died after a fight with the then solitary male in Bikyingi area. The duo had had a series of fights before and this was the climax of them. Rangers suspect that the solitary male had interest in the leadership of the group. After the death of the dominant Silverback Bikyingi all the group members dispersed and some joined other groups, for instance, about 7 individuals joined Kahungye group. However, a close search was done and 9 members including the solitary male were found. The group is currently composed of 9 individuals including, 1 Silverbacks, 2 Adult females, 3 Blackbacks, 2 Sub-adult females and 1 Sub-adult male.

  • 2

    Silverbacks

  • 5

    Adult females

  • 0

    Blackbacks

  • 0

    Sub-adult females

  • 1

    Juveniles

  • 4

    Infants

About mountain gorillas

The eastern gorilla is a large hominid with a large head, broad chest, and long arms. It has a flat nose with large nostrils. The face, hands, feet and breast are bald. The fur is mainly black, but adult males have a silvery “saddle” on their back. When the gorilla gets older, the hair on the saddle of the back becomes white, much like the gray hair of elderly people. This is why the older males are called silverbacks. Grauer’s gorilla has a shorter, thicker, deep black fur, while the mountain gorilla has a more bluish color. The mountain gorilla is slightly smaller and lighter than Grauer’s gorilla, but still larger and heavier than the western lowland gorilla and the Cross River gorilla. Males are much larger than females. A full-grown male eastern gorilla typically weighs 140–205.5 kg (309–453 lb) and stands 1.7 m (5.6 ft) upright.

The goal of the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) is to ensure the conservation of mountain gorillas and their regional afromontane forest habitat in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Situated in South-Western Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a large primeval forest at the edge of the Albertine Rift and the western branch of the East African Rift, at elevations ranging from 1,160 to 2,607 metres. The majestic forest is home to half of the world's population of mountain gorillas.