Rare twins born in DRC raise cautious hope for endangered mountain gorillas

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Patrick GreenfieldJanuary 17, 2026 at 07:00 AM

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In Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo, a mountain gorilla named Mafuko gave birth to rare twin males in early January. This event raises cautious hope for the endangered subspecies, whose numbers dwindled to around 250 in the 1970s but have since climbed to over 1,000 due to conservation efforts. While the twins appear healthy, mountain gorilla twins face significant survival challenges, and infant mortality rates are high due to disease, trauma, and infanticide. Rangers are closely monitoring Mafuko and her babies, especially during the critical first four weeks. Virunga National Park remains a dangerous area due to rebel groups, but Mafuko's resilience exemplifies the species' progress.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Uganda 50% M23 60% Bageni family 60% Jacques Katutu ×270% Mafuko ×580% Virunga National Park ×390% Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) ×390%

Keywords

mountain gorillas 100% twin births 80% endangered species 70% conservation 70% virunga national park 60% infant mortality 60% wildlife rangers 50% democratic republic of the congo 50% conservation success 40%