Guhonda

Guhonda (born 1971) is a mountain gorilla currently residing at Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. He was estimated to be born at Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda in 1971. He is the oldest known living gorilla in Rwanda and the oldest known living wild gorilla as well as the oldest known living mountain gorilla. He is also the second-oldest known mountain gorilla ever, after Ruhondeza.

Guhonda is the alpha male of the Sabyinyo silverback gorilla group in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, where he is said to provide physical and emotional security as a father figure. Guhonda is the strongest and largest silverback at over 300kgs in mass and 2 meters tall, he is known to beat his chest to command authority in his gorilla family. His name is a Kinyarwanda word, which means “to beat”.

Guhonda is also the gorilla to be studied by the Rwanda Development Board. His hair continues to grey each year, but he is still very strong and is the leader of his family, who all continue to respect him. If he is still alive, on the 1st February 2021, Guhonda will officially surpass Ruhondeza and become the oldest mountain gorilla ever, however due to uncertainty about their exact ages, Guhonda may surpass Ruhondeza anytime between January 2021 and June 2022.

In 1994, Guhonda survived the Rwandan genocide. He was described as a “great group leader” by Wild Rwanda Safaris, a website dedicated to Rwanda’s safaris. The Website said “Guhonda is a great group leader, his protective of his family, very tough on intruders who cross boundaries with his group, it’s no wonder many tourists love to visit the sabyinyo gorilla family!”

On the 22nd January 2013, Guhonda was reported, along with five other gorillas in his group, to be infected with a respiratory disease. He was reported to be the worst affected with a deep, persisitent cough, he was lethargic and not feeding normally. Therefore, Drs. Dawn and Noel scheduled a recheck and possible intervention for the following day. on the 24th January, Guhonda was reported to be active and eating; his stomach appeared to be 3/4 full. He still exhibited a cough and nasal discharge, but he was much improved from the previous day.

Travel writer and blogger, Neil Raffan spoke of his experience of meeting Guhonda in June 2018. He claimed Guhonda was no longer the leader of the Sabyinyo silverback gorilla group and his son had taken over, this is contradictory to a later article in June 2019 that wished Guhonda a happy fathers’ day and claimed he continued to be alpha male. Raffan, describing his encounter, said “Then I saw him, Guhonda, the forty-seven-year-old silverback. He was a short distance away from the other five gorillas I was observing. He was eating away quietly on his own; and was less in the open than the others who were getting as drenched as myself. He still looks magnificent, even at 47. Having peacefully abdicated leadership to his son, he survives as the grand elder statesman so long as he is able to eat sufficient food.”

A CNBC article, published 22nd January 2020, written by contributor Petra Loho also described tracking Guhonda. The article described the Sabyinyo silverback gorilla group as “Guhonda’s group” which may suggest he continues to be the alpha male as of January 2020, however the article also claimed Guhonda was 47 instead of 48-9 which he would be as of January 2020.