The twins, both males, were discovered on Saturday, January 3, 2026, by community trackers, who observed 22-year-old female Mafuko cradling her newborns. The park confirmed that 'both appeared to be in healthy condition at the time of the observation.'
Twin births among mountain gorillas are exceptionally uncommon, occurring in roughly 1% of all births, and require extra care, as newborns rely entirely on their mother for survival during the first months of life. The last birth of mountain gorilla twins in Virunga National Park was in September 2020.
The birth of the twins increases the Bageni gorilla family to 59 individuals, making it the largest family in the park.
'This birth of twins constitutes the first birth recorded in 2026 at the Park. Twin births among mountain gorillas are rare and present additional challenges, particularly during the early months," the park noted:
Authorities said that 'additional monitoring and protection measures will be deployed to closely observe the twins and support their health and survival during this critical early period.'
Virunga National Park, Africa's oldest and largest protected area, spans 7,800 square kilometers of rainforest, mountains, lakes, and active volcanoes. The park is home to fewer than 1,100 mountain gorillas, which are found only in Virunga and in neighbouring national parks in Rwanda and Uganda.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rare-mountain-gorilla-twins-born-at-virunga-national-park
