Twin Mountain Gorillas Born In Congo's Virunga Park In Rare Conservation Milestone

In a rare conservation milestone, a set of mountain gorilla twins has been born in Virunga National Park, Africa's oldest national park, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The twin males were born to a 22-year-old gorilla named Mafuko and were discovered on January 3 by community trackers, who found the mother cuddling the newborns, BBC reported. All three appeared to be healthy and doing well at the time.

Photos shared by the park show Mafuko holding her newborns amid thick foliage. Notably, twin births are extremely uncommon among mountain gorillas, accounting for just around 1% of all births. The last recorded instance of such a birth in Virunga was in 2020.

Caring for twins poses a unique challenge, especially during the early months when infants are completely dependent on their mother for nourishment and transport. Park authorities have implemented additional monitoring and protection measures to support the survival of the infants during this critical early period, as the first months of life are very vulnerable.

Virunga, Africa's oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, spans over 3,000 square miles and shelters one of the world's largest populations of mountain gorillas. Despite its protected status, much of the park remains under threat from armed groups, deforestation, and poaching.

Mafuko was born into the Kabirizi family but joined the Bageni family six years after her mother was killed by "armed individuals" in 2007, the park's statement said.

"In January 2013, during the split of the Kabirizi family, Mafuko joined the Bageni family. Three years later, her sister Tumaini joined her in the Bageni family after an interaction between the groups. At the age of 22, Mafuko has given birth to a total of seven newborns, including a set of twins in 2016. Unfortunately, those twins passed away a week after birth," the statement added. 

In recent years, the mountain gorilla population has seen gradual growth due to consistent anti-poaching patrols and community-led conservation programs. 

"The birth of these twins represents a major event for the dynamics of the Bageni family and for ongoing conservation efforts to support the continued growth of the endangered mountain gorilla population within Virunga National Park," the statement said.