Second Set Of Rare Gorilla Twins Born In Congo's Virunga Park: "Extraordinary Event"

Conservationists are celebrating the birth of a second set of rare mountain gorilla twins in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Virunga National Park within just two months, the Guardian reported. This time, a male and a female infant have been spotted in the Baraka family -- a group of 19 mountain gorillas that inhabit the region's high-altitude rainforests. 

This event follows another set of male twins born on January 3, 2026, to a 22-year-old mother named Mafuko in the Bageni family. Now 11 weeks old, the infants are said to be thriving. Rangers note that other members of the troop are providing added support to the mother, a behaviour often seen in cohesive gorilla groups. Authorities believe such twin births are more likely when females are in strong physical condition.

Jacques Katutu, Head of Gorilla Monitoring at Virunga National Park, said, "Two instances of twin births within 3 months is an extraordinary event and provides another vital indicator that dedicated conservation efforts, which have continued despite the current instability in eastern Congo, continue to support the growth of the endangered mountain gorilla population within Virunga National Park."

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Notably, twin births are extremely uncommon among mountain gorillas, accounting for just around 1% of all births. Caring for twins poses a unique challenge, especially during the early months when infants are completely dependent on their mother for nourishment and transport. Following the birth, additional monitoring and protection measures will be deployed to closely observe the twins and support their health and survival during this critical early period.

Conservation efforts, particularly specialised veterinary care, have been critical to the subspecies' recovery. Across Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC, organisations like Gorilla Doctors have helped prevent numerous deaths by treating injuries often caused by human activity, including freeing gorillas caught in poachers' snares. One study suggests that veterinary intervention has contributed to roughly half of the population's growth.

From a low of about 250 individuals in the 1970s, when extinction seemed imminent, mountain gorilla numbers have steadily rebounded. Intensive conservation initiatives pushed the population past 1,000 in 2018, prompting authorities to reclassify the subspecies from critically endangered to endangered.

Virunga National Park, which was inaugurated in 1925, is Africa's oldest nature reserve.