Bitukura Gorilla family lives in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in southwestern Uganda. It is one of the most exciting families on your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Forest.
Bitukura gorilla family is the more recently habituated group within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The family lives in the Ruhija section of this park and is currently one of the most visited gorilla groups. This is so because clients who prefer to sleep in the Buhoma section usually travel early in the morning to track this group. It is only a 2-hour distance drive to the Ruhija sector.
Clients prefer to sleep on the Buhoma side because of the better accommodation facilities booked by the tour operators. Currently, these are better than in the Ruhija section.
The naming of this group to Bitukura gorilla family was a result of them being sighted near a riverside. They happened to be foraging around this river Bitukura, thus sharing the same as the river. This later turned out to be their feeding range hence giving the birth of the name Bitukura to the group.
The identification of the members of this group called for tourism attention and the habituation of this group began in July 2007. The group was then opened for tourism in October 2008.
This turned out to be the easiest group to be habituated within the shortest time. It took only 15 months compared to other groups which could take up to 2 years, to be used to human presence.
More About Bitukura Gorilla Family in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bitukura group is one of the most visited gorilla families and the most peaceful group with little and minimal politics among themselves. There are four silverbacks within this family.
Both the Bitukura and Kyaguriro families share a close bond, because they are known to have, what can be described as ‘get-togethers’, about once each month.
The biggest mystery surrounding this peaceable family is the migration of its eldest juvenile daughter to the Kyaguriro family. Gorilla trekking tours to the Ruhija section are now open, so we can ensure a memorable gorilla safari for you to meet the Bitukura family.
Despite the loss of some members, this family is peaceful, happy, and very close to one another.
It is known that on reaching adulthood, female gorillas are prone to leave the family in favor of starting a family with an eligible solitary male. They sometimes simply just join another family. So, Twigukye did the same though she was nonetheless rather young to make the move. So, a study of the family members of this group may help give a clue to this unusual occurrence. You will friend them and find out.
Rukumu is now the dominant silverback leading this family. He took over from Ndahura, who passed away in December 2016, having met an untimely death after falling from a tree.
Dominant silverbacks sire at least 85% of the babies. For other, low-ranking silverbacks, mating with the females has to be done in secret or they risk the wrath of the dominant male.