The Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage Center is situated at the headquarters of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The orphanage was established in 2010, and it’s the only place in the world where mountain gorillas have survived in captivity.
The gorilla orphanage was named after a silverback called “Senkwekwe,” who was killed during a massacre by armed robbers in the national park in 2007.
During the massacre, two young gorillas were orphaned and named Ndezi and Ndakazi.
A decision was made to take care of mountain gorillas orphaned by animal trafficking, poaching, and natural death. Caretakers and gorilla doctors have been put in place to ensure the safety of the gorillas.
There are six mountain gorillas that have survived in the orphanage since 2010.
There are also some lowland eastern gorillas in the orphanage that are kept there before being transferred to the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center for orphaned lowland gorillas.
The gorillas have managed to survive through funding from the community, well-wishers, and organizations such as the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Howard Buffett, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, World Heritage Organization, Gearing Up for Gorillas, Murry Foundation, and Gorilla Doctors, among others.
Below are some of the gorillas that have survived in the center since its opening:
- Matabishi: Matabishi joined the orphanage in 2010. This male gorilla was found near the park’s boundary, and it’s believed that poachers abandoned him there in fear of being caught in illegal poaching. Matabishi was groomed by Maisha as though it was her own baby.
- Maisha: Maisha was the first orphan in the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage in 2010. She was born in 2001, and the name Maisha means life. In 2004, Maisha was captured by a rebel group and taken to a cave in Rwanda. The rangers of Volcanoes National Park and police in Rwanda heard rumors of Maisha in the cave and rescued her, but she was in a very devastating state. The gorilla doctors in Rwanda took very good care of her and treated her, and she regained consciousness. She was then returned to Congo when she was nine years old. She stayed happily at the orphanage, raising many orphaned gorillas and acting as a leader until she developed an illness that led to her death.
- Ndeze: Ndeze is the daughter of the female gorilla Safari, who was a member of Rugendo gorilla family that was caught up in the massacre in 2007. Ndeze was found clung to her dead mother’s breast and was transferred to Senkwekwe gorilla center.
- Yalala: Yalala was found after being abandoned by her family, which had tried all possible ways to rescue her from a snare but failed. The snare was set up by poachers and injured the gorilla very badly, leading to the amputation of her leg by doctors later, and she was put into the orphanage.
- Ndakasi: Ndakasi was also among the survivors of the Rugendo family that survived the massacre of 2007. Ndakasi was brought together with Ndeze to the orphanage after staying in a house in Goma. She is among the first gorillas in Senkwekwe center.
- Kaboko: Kaboko, just like Yalala, was found caught up in a snare set up by poachers. The gorilla was taken to the center and amputated by gorilla doctors, though he continued to have stomach problems. It’s believed that he died out of stress during the gunfire between rebels and park rangers. Kaboko died in 2012 at the age of 5 years when the gorilla doctors were still in Rwanda and couldn’t come to rescue him in time.
One of the most beautiful things about Senkwekwe gorillas is that they have learned to interact freely with humans, unlike the gorillas in the wilderness. Visiting the orphanage is affordable and free for visitors staying at Mikeno Lodge.
There is a platform where visitors can sit and observe mountain gorillas playing and interacting with caretakers. There are also other primate species like monkeys that visit the place.
Other Activities to do in Virunga National Park:
- Gorilla trekking: Virunga National Park has some groups of habituated gorillas that tourists can visit. Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park can be done by a maximum of 8 people visiting a gorilla family per day and spending one hour in the presence of these great apes. Congo offers the cheapest gorilla permits compared to Rwanda and Uganda at $400 per person.
- Chimpanzee trekking: Chimpanzee trekking was introduced in Virunga National Park in 2014. Chimpanzees are humans’ close relatives, sharing about 98% DNA, just like mountain gorillas. Chimpanzee trekking is easy as they are not hard to find like gorillas, and the cost is also cheap compared to a gorilla permit.
- Bird watching: Virunga National Park is also a birder’s paradise, hosting various species of birds, some of which are endemic to this area. Some of the examples of birds you can spot in the park include the grey-throated barbet, Madagascar Bee-eater, narrow-tailed starling, yellow-billed barbet, double-toothed barbet, and many others.
- Mountain climbing: You can hike some of the world’s most active volcanoes, such as Mount Nyiragongo and Mount Nyamuragira, while at Virunga National Park. Mount Nyiragongo hosts the world’s largest lava lake and the most fluid lava that travels at 90 kilometers per hour, compared to the rest that travels at 1-10 kilometers per hour. Mount Nyamuragira, like Nyiragongo, is part of the 8 Virunga massif volcanoes. It has erupted at least 40 times since 1985, with eruptions from the summit and flanks of the volcano. The last eruption took place in 2010 and 2011. All these mountains at Virunga National Park provide unique experiences that should not be missed while visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Where to Stay
There are various accommodation options for tourists at Virunga National Park, such as Mikeno Lodge, Tchegera Tented Camp, and many others. Virunga National Park can be visited all year round, especially if your aim is to visit the Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage. If you intend to go hiking and trekking gorillas or chimpanzees, then the best time is from June to August in the dry season.
