Rare twins born in DRC raise cautious hope for endangered mountain gorillas | Endangered species
IIt was midday when Jacques Katutu saw the mountain gorilla newborns for the first time. Cradled in the arms of their mother, Mafuko, the little twins clung to her body for warmth in the clearing of Virunga National Park, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Katutu, responsible for monitoring gorillas in Virunga, has seen dozens of newborns during his 15-year career as a ranger. But, he tells the Guardian, even he was touched by the sight of these fragile male babies, who face serious obstacles if they want to one day become silverbacks.
“Watching Mafuko hold two babies in her arms was both moving and filled me with responsibility, given the extreme vulnerability of the twins,” he says.
“Twin births in mountain gorillas are extremely rare and always present significant survival challenges. We are cautious and vigilant, while remaining hopeful. The first four weeks are the most critical.”
The mother and her babies have been monitored daily since they were spotted on January 3, and specialist veterinarians are on hand if the gorillas show signs of distress. Young males are healthy for now, rangers say, but the subspecies has high infant mortality rates – with about a quarter falling victim to disease, trauma or infanticide.
Mafuko gave birth to twins in 2016, but none survived more than a few days. The males were born into the Bageni family, Virunga’s largest mountain gorilla group, which now numbers 59 members. Despite the rangers’ caution, their arrival marks another step in one of the greatest conservation success stories of the last century.
By the 1970s, there were only 250 mountain gorillas left, spread between two isolated territories in southwest Uganda and the Virunga mountain range, and many believed the animals were at risk of extinction.
Decades of intense conservation work saw the population surpass 1,000 in 2018 and the gorilla subspecies has since been downgraded from “critically endangered” to “endangered” by conservation authorities.
But the Congolese part of the Virunga mountain range remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for 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.
Mafuko is an example of the species’ resilience, conservationists say. Her mother was killed by an attacker when she was four years old, but she has since had several cubs, including the latest newborns.
“Mafuko is an experienced mother. She carries both babies and is attentive to their needs. This is encouraging, even if the situation remains delicate,” says Katutu.
“We closely monitor the twins and the mother, observing her breastfeeding and the overall health of the newborns. Allowing her to care for her babies naturally and minimizing interventions is the priority.”
Specialized veterinary care has played a leading role in the species’ revival. In Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC, organizations such as Gorilla Doctors have prevented dozens of deaths by helping animals affected by human behavior, for example by releasing gorillas accidentally caught in poachers’ traps. Study attributes half of mountain gorilla population increase to veterinarians.
Katutu says neither baby will be named until their survival no longer seems certain. But for now, the signs are promising.
“The first observations show that they are calm and maintain good contact with their mother. Their behavior is consistent with that of newborns in good condition, while remaining very vulnerable,” he specifies.
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