Rare Mountain Gorilla Twins Born in DR Congo's Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park, DR Congo – A rare pair of mountain gorilla twins was born in Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, offering a beacon of hope for the critically endangered species. The birth, discovered on Saturday by community trackers, is only the second set of twins recorded in the park since 2020.

The mother, a 22-year-old gorilla named Mafuko, was observed hugging her newborns, both males, and appeared to be healthy, according to park officials. Twin births are rare among mountain gorillas, accounting for approximately 1% of all births, though exact data is not widely available.

Virunga National Park, Africa's oldest national park, is a critical habitat for mountain gorillas, whose population numbers just over 1,000. The gorillas' habitat extends across the borders of Rwanda and Uganda. The birth underscores the importance of conservation efforts in the conflict-ridden region, according to BBC World.

This is not Mafuko's first twin birth; she previously gave birth to twins in 2016, but they did not survive. Park staff will closely monitor Mafuko and her newborns during this critical early period to support their well-being.

The birth of the twins offers a glimmer of hope for the conservation of these primates amid ongoing challenges of habitat loss and instability in the region. Mountain gorillas are found only in the Virunga Massif region of Central Africa.