Ruhondeza

Ruhondeza (1962 - 27th June 2012) was a Mountain Gorilla who resided in Kanungu District, Uganda. He was likely the oldest mountain gorilla in the world at the time of his death and he was leader of Mubare, the first tourist habituated group in Bwindi. He led Mubare for 20 years and in that time became an Ugandan national treasure and helped to promote ecotourism and generate income for the local communities where he lived. Originally his group contained 17 gorillas, but by the early 2010s only 5 remained. He became a solitary male in Kyumbugushu Vilage in the last 4 months of his life as he was overthrown by a rouge silverback gorilla, however his son, Kanyonyi, was able to retake the group as well as well as add another adult female from another tourist habituated group, Rushegura, bringing the Mubare group size up to seven.

Plans were made to erect a monument in remembrance of Ruhondeza and his achievements including the promotion of ecotourism. The local Bwindi Community were very touched and visited the grave to pay their last respects.

He was succeeded as the oldest living mountain gorilla and the oldest known wild gorilla by Guhonda.