NYAKAGEZI

NYAKAGEZI

Gorilla Family

NYAKAGEZI

9 MEMBERS: LAST UPDATED 31/01/2024

Nyakagezi group is found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and is led by Silverback Mark assisted by the Silverback Ndugutse. The habituation of Nyakagezi group started in 1991 and the group was later opened for tourism in 1994. Apparently, Nyakagezi group is the only habituated gorilla group in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.  Nyakagezi group is composed of 9 individuals including 4 Silverbacks, 2 Adult females, 1 Juvenile, and 2 Infant. The gorilla group is fondly known for its trans-boundary nature, which means it freely roams across the three countries (Uganda, Rwanda & DRC) of the Virunga Massif at will.  Nyakagezi group is also known for multi-male tolerance.

  • 4

    Silverbacks

  • 2

    Adult females

  • 0

    Blackbacks

  • 0

    Sub-adult females

  • 1

    Juveniles

  • 2

    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).

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Situated in South Western Uganda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest of all Uganda’s national parks yet it is so privileged to be home to the magnificent mountain gorillas. It is part of the Virunga massif where more than 480 mountain gorillas live. Bordered by the Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda, the park was created to protect the mountain gorillas that roam freely within the Virunga region.