The rangers never really had time to get to know Bariyanga. Having never been seen before he joined the Rugendo Family at some time during 2008. The following July he fell to his death.

As you know the rangers were forced from the park by rebels during 2008. When the war ended and the rangers returned they were delighted to rediscover the Rugendo Family, the most habituated group of gorillas in Congo and the most traumatized after the July 2007 massacre. They were even happier when they found that the number of gorillas in the family had increased from five to nine.

The original five individuals remained - that is Mukunda (Diddy’s favorite gorilla!), Kongomani, Baseka, Noel and Bavukahe. And they had been joined by two Silverbacks - Pili-Pili and Bukima, who were both solitary in August 2007 – and by Lubutu - who had been missing from the Humba family. Finally, they had been joined by a young gorilla the rangers had never seen. They named this last addition Bariyanga, after a Ranger who died from illness in October 2008.

Black Back Bariyanga in the Rugendo Family.

Bariyanga eating stalks of maize.

Then in July 2009 rangers on patrol from the Bikenge Patrol Post reported finding Bariyanga’s body. They were surprised to learn that Bariyanga was in fact a sub-adult male and not a female as had been assumed. Bariyanga had not yet been habituated to humans and so it had been impossible to observe him closely enough to be sure of his sex. This is not the only time we have had surpises among the sexes).

Bariyanga was found lying on his side surrounded by broken branches.

The post-mortem examination by the MGVP vets found major internal bleeding in the chest and neck and no signs of bite wounds or other injuries, all of which pointed to the cause of death being a fall while climbing. After the post-mortem Bariyanga’s body was taken down to Rumangabo and was buried at the gorilla cemetery.