Lulengo was born into the Rugabo Family, the first mountain gorilla family in the Mikeno Sector to be habituated. When Rugabo was killed by poachers his sons Lulengo, Pili-Pili, Mareru and Nvuyekure, were left to look after the family.

Lulengo in Rugabo Family

Lulengo took over the leadership of the family for a short time, but it was difficult for him to stay at the top because there were several lone silverbacks in the area. One of them, Kwitonda, took over and Lulengo was left with only his brothers for company. The Kwitonda Family moved to Rwanda in 2004 and has been there ever since.

Pili-Pili was the first to leave the group and become solitary; the other brothers soon followed suit. They have been fighting ever since. In 2007, in a fight that lasted for three days, Pili-Pili took three females from Mapuwa, who had a family of 15, then Mareru took them from Pili-Pili, then Pili-Pili took them back again, and then, in August 2007, Lulengo took them.

So Pili-Pili, having had a family group of four (one Silverback, two adult females and one sub-adult female), became solitary as Lulengo, who had been missing since January of that year, charmed his whole family away.

Lulengo has had a hard life and it shows: half his right index finger has been torn off and three toes are missing from his left foot.