Nsekanabo was born between September 2007 and November 2008 - a tumultuous period in North Kivu province during which time we the Rangers did not have access to the Gorilla Sector because of the fighting between rebels and the army. Nsekanabo was one of 5 gorillas born during this 15-month period in the Kabirizi family.

Tragically, in February 2010, Nsekanabo died after becoming trapped in a poacher’s snare. Rangers found and freed the badly injured baby gorilla, and then Gorilla Doctors Magda and Eddy carried out an intervention. The injured gorilla and its mother Tumaini were sedated while the doctors removed the remains of the snare from Nsekanabo’s ankle, and repaired the baby gorilla’s face. The next day Rangers reported that, despite the best efforts and initial optimism of the Gorilla Doctors, Nsekanabo was dead. Tumaini continued to carry her dead baby for days before the rangers could retrieve and then bury Nsekanabo’s body. Nsekanabo now lies in the Gorilla Cemetery at Rumangabo alongside other innocent victims of the casual brutality of poaching.