A rare birth has stirred hope in eastern Congo, where a mountain gorilla has delivered twin males inside Virunga National Park.
The park announced Wednesday that the twins were discovered on January 3 and appeared healthy during the first careful observations.
Their mother, a 22-year-old gorilla named Mafuko, was seen cradling the infants beneath leaves, a fragile family framed by green shadows.
Virunga, Africa’s oldest national park, shelters many of the world’s last mountain gorillas but lies scarred by conflict and forest loss.
Large areas remain under rebel control, where fighting has accelerated environmental destruction and deepened the struggle to protect endangered wildlife.
Park officials said caring for twins is especially demanding, as newborn gorillas depend entirely on their mother for nourishment and movement.
Rangers are closely monitoring the infants, hoping constant vigilance will help secure their survival during these critical early months.
Mafuko, born into the Kabirizi family, joined the Bageni group after her mother was killed by armed men in 2007.
She has now given birth to seven offspring, including twins who died a week after birth in 2016.
The Bageni family, now numbering 59 members, is the park’s largest, and the twins mark a significant moment for conservation efforts.
