Kanyalire really is a typical young gorilla. She used to hang out with her older brother Jeshi who was protective over her. Their mother, Machibiri, left to live with the Rugendo family on 9 July 2005, and was killed in the July 2007 massacre. We did not find her body immediately, but discovered her bones some 4 weeks later. This was very sad.

It is a natural phenomenon in gorilla families that females sometimes leave the family nest to start a family elsewhere. It is a natural form of selection if you like, to prevent cross-breeding. Interactions between Silverbacks and dominant males are of course also like this.

In 2010 Kanyalire appeared in Humba family. This was after an interaction between Humba and Kabirizi.

Kanyalire was the name of a high-ranking Ranger who worked at Rwindi in the central sector of Virunga. He died of an illness, but he was well liked because he was considered to be brave.

Kanyalire, age 9 in 2011, gave birth to her first baby on 7 August, 2011.