Many travelers wonder about how to choose a location for gorilla tracking within Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Forest. Though many travelers would like to track where multiple groups, many zero down on tracking one gorilla group. Remember only eight tourists are allowed to track a particular habituated gorilla group! Though there are ten habituated gorilla groups (as per 2014) that get visited each day, Mishaya is one of the interesting groups that our correspondent visited on his recent gorilla tour within Uganda.
MISHAYA GORILLA GROUP
Mishaya is one of the most exciting gorilla family in Uganda that are available for gorilla watching all year round. Located in the Rushaga area, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest- southern section, this is one of the gorilla families with interesting history. The Mishaya Gorilla family separated from Nsongi group due to conflicts that cropped up amongst the family members. Then Miyasha led an uprising and split from the major group with close to 8 gorillas left Nshongi family. It is now 4 year since Mishaya group was habituated in July 2010- it is one of the new gorilla families in Bwindi forest.
In February 2014, the Silverback gorilla that led this group was found dead on the morning of February 3rd, 2014 by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) trackers on patrol in the forest. At just 28-years-old, Mishaya, the dominant leader of the Mishaya Gorilla Group in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was reported dead on the morning of February 3rd, 2014 by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) trackers on patrol in the forest. Mishaya died after a short illness, according to the top wildlife officials.
Otherwise Mishaya was a strong and healthy silverback, with no history of illness, no evidence of injury or previous medical interventions and his sudden death was impossible to explain without further investigation. The Gorilla Doctors later carried out a necropsy study to find out what killed the old Mishaya! Surprisingly, blackback Mwine managed to fill the leadership role in Mishaya group for the time being to keep the females together and the infants safe.
Currently there are 7 members of the group. The Mishaya Family Members include; Bakunzi the adult female, Mwiza the adult female, Rutaro a juvenile, Mize a juvenile, Mwiza Baby 1 an infant, Mwiza baby 2 an infant, Bakunzi baby an infant, Unknown infant 1, and Unknown infant 2.
Have you visited the mountain gorillas in person? You can easily learn more about gorilla travel in Uganda by getting in touch with one of the adventure travel company in Eastern Africa.