US EditionRare Mountain Gorilla Twins Born in DR Congo's Virunga National Park
Mafuko, a 22-year-old mountain gorilla, gave birth to healthy twin males, a rare event accounting for about 1% of births, boosting conservation efforts in Virunga National Park.
- On 3rd January 2026, Virunga National Park announced that Mafuko, a 22-year-old female mountain gorilla, gave birth to two male infants who appeared healthy at observation, with the news shared on Jan. 7.
- Twin births, described as about 1% of mountain gorilla births, are rare; Mafuko, age 22, has had seven offspring including twins who died within a week in 2016.
- Community trackers discovered the newborns on Saturday, reporting Mafuko holding her two infants while wardens and rangers increased monitoring and protection.
- The Bageni family now totals 59 members, making it the largest in the park, and conservationists at Virunga said the arrival boosts recovery efforts supported by anti-poaching patrols and community programmes.
- Spanning 7,800 square kilometres, Virunga National Park hosts more than one-third of global mountain gorillas but faces rebel control by M23 and Allied Democratic Forces, raising deforestation and poaching risks.
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ecotopical.comTwin infant mountain gorillas born in DRC
The birth of twin mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is raising hopes for the survival of one of the world’s most threatened great apes. “For me, it is a huge sign of hope and a great way to start the new year,” Katie Fawcett, science director with the DRC-based Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE) told Mongabay in a phone call. The twins were delivered by a mother gorilla named Mafuko…
Two young gorillas of the montages, a threatened species, were discovered on 3 January in Virunga Park, where the M23 rebellion began.
The birth of toys in the species is rare, and the first months after birth present several challenges. Conservatives say that children appear to be "healthy" and in good shape.
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