Nkuringo Gorilla Group is Safe and Stable after its loss of Rafiki, the dominant silverback

Nkuringo Gorilla Group is Safe and Stable after its loss of Rafiki, the dominant silverback

*Nkuringo: safe and stable**. It had to be Nkuringo. Concerns had been raised about the stability of this group after it lost a silverback, Rafiki, recently.

From the drop off point, we took about 1 hour to the Kihinje buffer zone, where we found the health family feeding. The group of 11 individuals is intact with 4 black backs and 3 infants. It was fascinating to watch Furaha, one of the mothers, adjust the position of the baby while moving and feeding. The other females were less concerned with our presence. The family has since settled under the leadership of Lwamutwe, the dominant black back. But Tabu and the other two black backs are ready to help. The morning trackers had left them within the same area yesterday.

Interestingly, there are two more families in the area, namely Christmas and Bishabo, which can be tracked from here, in addition to another group under habituation. With 3 tractable families, we are ready to go.

Before this, the staff at Gorilla Safari Lodge gave their best experience to a man visitor. Their response was swift, but like the neighbour Rushaga gorilla camp, there is no real business till primate parks are open and international travel is eased.

We moved with UPDF colleagues, who usually give support when needed. The road heading to Nkuringo from Rushaga was smooth, since it had been recently graded. No usual speeding traffic on the otherwise winding roads in the tough terrain of Kigezi.Please enjoy the Nkuringo experience with me.