SHONGI

SHONGI

Gorilla Family

SHONGI

13 MEMBERS: 31/01/2024

Shongi gorilla group is found in Rushaga tourism sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) and is led by Silverback Bweza. Initially, Shongi group was as large as 34 members including multi-males but over time intra-male rivalry caused notable dispersals of individual males as well as fissions. In July 2010, Shongi group split to form Mishaya group and later-on split again to form Bweza group in August 2012. Today Shongi group is composed of 13 members including 1 Silverback, 1 Blackback, 4 Adult females, 1 Sub-adult female, 1 Sub-adult male, 1 Juveniles and 4 Infants.

  • 1

    Silverbacks

  • 4

    Adult females

  • 1

    Blackbacks

  • 1

    Sub-adult females

  • 2

    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.