Soft-hearted silverback is the perfect uncle

FIRM FRIENDS: Kadogo with his young nephew Kakule

Unusual and touching new friendship developing

August 2010: Rangers in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Virunga park are being charmed by an unusual friendship that is forming between two gorillas.

Kadogo - so-called because of his small stature (‘kadogo" means small in Swahili) - lives in the Munyaga group, an atypical family composed of three silverbacks, two adult females and baby Kakule. Now the small silverback is forming a close bond with his young nephew.

Kadogo was born in August 2007 - a time when access to Virunga's Gorilla Sector was impossible because of the war. Now, rangers and tourists alike have had a chance to see Kadogo form a touching friendship with his nephew, the young Kakule, cradling him in his arms and playing with him. Kakule's parents are Mawazo and Bilali - so this relationship is quite unusual and rangers say they have not seen friendships such as this flourish before, and certainly never in such an overt way.

Writing on his blog, ranger Innocent Mburanumwe says: ‘Perhaps Kakule is making up for the fact that he does not really have a partner. Mawazo and Kasole, the other two silverbacks, have teamed up with Bilali and Nyabigoro, leaving Kadogo out in the cold. We shall continue to monitor this friendship and see how it develops.'

Rangers pay daily visits to the Munyaga family to check on their whereabouts and monitor their overall health. At the moment it is peak tourist season so international visitors - about 30 per day - are also getting the chance to visit all of Virunga's gorilla families, including this one.

Wildlife Extra runs regular updates on the Virunga gorillas. Read some of our latest stories:
Baby pictures: new arrival for largest gorilla family in Congo
Silverback family who can't live with each other... or without