A second set of mountain gorilla twins has been born in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), an event conservationists are celebrating as "extraordinary" for the endangered primates. This follows the discovery of another rare twin birth just two months ago, highlighting a significant development for the species.

Park rangers found the new twins—an infant male and female—in the Baraka family, a troop of 19 mountain gorillas that inhabit the region's high-altitude rainforests. The young primates have been placed under additional monitoring to assist them through the critical initial months, as twins face substantial challenges to reaching adulthood. Twin births are extremely rare in mountain gorillas, accounting for less than 1% of births and placing extra demands on the mother.

Park authorities note that twin births are more likely when females are in excellent physical condition. Jacques Katutu, head of gorilla monitoring at Virunga, stated: "Two instances of twin births within three months is an extraordinary event and provides another vital indicator that dedicated conservation efforts, which have continued despite the current instability in eastern Congo, continue to support the growth of the endangered mountain gorilla population within Virunga National Park."

Specialist veterinary care has been instrumental in the subspecies' revival. In Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC, organizations like Gorilla Doctors have prevented dozens of deaths by aiding animals affected by human activities, such as freeing gorillas caught in poachers' traps. One study attributes half of the mountain gorilla population increase to veterinary interventions.

In the 1970s, barely 250 mountain gorillas remained, with many predicting their extinction. Decades of intensive conservation work helped population numbers surpass 1,000 in 2018, leading conservation authorities to downgrade the subspecies' status from critically endangered to endangered.

The DRC section of the Virunga mountain range remains one of the most dangerous places globally for wildlife rangers. Over the past 20 years, more than 220 rangers have been killed in the park, where rebel groups like M23 and other militias, as well as bandits, operate with impunity, underscoring the ongoing risks in conservation efforts.

Source: www.theguardian.com