Gorilla trekking day two - the Rushegura group

Day two in Bwindi started with torrential rain.

The Rushegura group was the first group to be habituated to be used to human presence, and the previous day had been sighted right outside the park in the grounds of Gorilla Lodge. There are 17 animals in the group

Silverback: Mwirima

Blackback: Kabukojo

Adult Female: Kibande, Karungi, Kirinvi, Katabazi, Munyana

Juvenile: Kalembeezi, Ruterana, Kanywani, Kafuruka, Nyampazi, Kikombe (Karungi Juvenile)

Infant: Kanyindo (Kibande baby infant), Nderema (Kirinvi Baby infant), Kamara (Karungi Baby), Kabunga (Buzinza baby)

Sure enough, after our guide led us a merry dance through the woods, across the river and back again via the channel for the village hydroelectric power station, a young male called Kalembezi, which means babysitter crossed the path right in front of us and we followed him through the long grass to where the silverback Mwirima, which means black, sat.

 This is the place where he sat eating.

We followed the whole troupe up the hill and through a tea plantation and the hedge bordering the gardens of Gorilla Lodge.

More and more gorillas emerged from the bushes and soon the lawn was full of them.  Some were sucking on the brick foundations of the tented cabins to get the salt, some were breaking down branches and others were climbing up to the platforms - not via the stairs but straight up the stairpost - and trying to break into the tents.  The occupants of the tents were out looking for other gorilla groups further afield....

Some of the gorillas came walking right by us - too close to photograph.  We just stood still. One even kicked my leg with his foot as he went by!

Finally the silverback emerged from the bushes and led the whole family off, back into the bushes.