Rare mountain gorilla twins born in the wild

A mountain gorilla has given birth to twins in war-ravaged eastern Congo, which was declared a national park on Wednesday, in what was called a “major development” for the endangered subspecies.

The birth of two male gorillas to a mother named Mafuko was discovered on January 3, and the twins “appeared healthy at the time of observation,” Virunga National Park said. says the statement.

Covering an area of ​​more than 7,700 square kilometers, Africa's oldest national park is home to many of the world's last mountain gorillas, but much of the park is under rebel control and fighting has accelerated forest loss.

Caring for twins can be difficult, “especially in the early months when babies are completely dependent on the mother for care and transportation,” the park said in a statement.

The newborns are being closely monitored to ensure their survival, he said.

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Pictures released by the park's press service show 22-year-old Mafuko holding two baby gorillas, sitting on the ground and partially hidden by branches with green leaves.

Mafuko was born into the Kabirizi family but joined the Bageni family six years after her mother was killed by “armed men” in 2007, the park said in a statement.

“The birth of these twins represents an important event for the Bageni family dynamics and for ongoing conservation efforts to support the continued growth of the critically endangered mountain gorilla population in Virunga National Park,” the statement said.

Mafuko has had seven children in total so far, including a set of twins who died a week after birth in 2016. The Bageni family now has 59 members and is the largest in the park, the statement said.