Ruhija is one of the four sectors that make up the popular Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, located in southwestern Uganda. This sector is renowned for easy accessibility to Lake Bunyonyi as well as Kabale town. Actually, its location makes it very possible to spend a night in Kabale and trek gorillas in Bwindi.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In Ruhija, there are several gorilla families that have been habituated for tourism purposes, allowing visitors a chance to experience gorilla trekking in their natural habitat. The habituation process involves gradually acclimatizing gorillas to the presence of humans; this makes it possible for gorillas to cease seeing human beings as a threat to their environment.
However, it is important to note that these gorillas are not attached to any specific human being. They are not domesticated animals or pets. They remain wild but with a sense of not consider human beings as a danger in their environment. It is like buffaloes considering cattle egrets as part of their environment.
Each gorilla family in Ruhija is unique, with distinct characteristics and dynamics. Some of the prominent gorilla families in the Ruhija sector include:
Mukiza Family
Mukiza family has a total of 22 individuals. It is the biggest gorilla family in the Ruhija sector. This family has members ranging from infants, and juveniles to silverbacks. It is a family where every age group exists in abundance.
Kyaguliro Family (A)
Kyaguliro has a total of 7 individuals. It is one of the smallest families in the Ruhija sector. This family once had 15 members but after a breakaway of 8 members, the group remained with 7 members.
Kyaguliro Family (B)
The Kyaguliro family (B) is the newly recognized habituation family in the Ruhija sector. However, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has not yet opened up this gorilla family to tourists. The group is expected to be in the Uganda Wildlife Authority tourist system by 2024.
Bitukura Family
Bitukura family is one of the averagely sized groups in Bwindi impenetrable national park. The Biukura family has a total of 13 members and still growing. It is the second-largest gorilla family in the Ruhija sector.
Oruzogo Family
Oruzogo is the third largest family of gorillas in the Ruhija sector. The family has a total of 12 individuals.
Happy Family
The happy gorilla family is the smallest gorilla family in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park. This family only has 5 members. Similar to the Kyaguliro family (B); Happy is not yet open to tourists.
In total Ruhija sector has six habituated gorilla families with a total of 67 habituated mountain gorillas. Mukiza family is the biggest gorilla family in the Ruhija sector with 22 members while the happy family is the smallest gorilla family in the Ruhija sector with a total of 5 members.
At the moment, the Ruhija sector offers a total of 32 gorilla trekking permits per day. However, by the end of 2024, the Ruhija sector is expected to offer a total of 48 gorilla trekking permits per day.
Besides gorilla trekking, the Ruhija sector is popular for three other activities; bird watching, community tours, and forest hikes. The sector lies at the highest altitude in Bwindi impenetrable national park.