Nvuyekure means “he who came close to death”. This Silverback was given this name after his father, Rugabo, was killed in 1995 near Jomba patrol post in the Gorilla Sector. He was a young gorilla back then, and the Congolese authorities took him in briefly, before Norbert Mushenzi returned him to the Mapuwa group and the warmth of his family.

It really is quite an incredible story and we are grateful to Norbert for having taken this wonderful initiative.

Nvuyekure became a Silverback in 2002 but before then he was quite a shy gorilla, and we always felt he was scared of humans. Perhaps because of what happened to his father. Today however he is a calm Silverback and does not mind us observing him.